


The Warners from Down Under

by humanman



Category: Animaniacs, Epic Mickey (Video Games), Looney Tunes | Merrie Melodies
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Alternate Version of Junior (Epic Mickey), Angst, Blood and Injury, trans Dot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:53:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 23,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29357535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/humanman/pseuds/humanman
Summary: Sixty years is a long time... but over a hundred years seems a bit much, don't ya think?The Warners were trapped in the water tower for a hundred and ten years. Their prison/makeshift home somehow survived the turmoil and disasters of World War III, and their tower becoming more of a bunker as it sinks into the earth. Finally, the Warners are released, but their world has changed drastically. With it, the Warners change themselves and adjust to their new lives.-I will add more tags and such as the story goes on.
Relationships: Bugs Bunny & Yakko Warner, Dot Warner & Wakko Warner & Yakko Warner, Julius the Cat (Alice in Wonderland) & Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit & Bugs Bunny
Comments: 6
Kudos: 31





	1. Near Suffocation

**Author's Note:**

> These chapters are a lot longer than I'm used to, but I'm following an outline (for once) and bullet points turn into paragraphs upon paragraphs for me. However, I don't think that will come as an inconvenience to most of you.  
> I've been rewatching Adventure Time and an idea for a post-war/nuclear fallout came to me. Not sure how long this will be but it's gonna be long if I'm able to keep at it.
> 
> Okay, I'll stop blabbering now, enjoy.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smakko acts out of character after a certain comment. Not only that but the hope of being free is dying for the Warners, and Yakko is having the hardest time coping.

One hundred and ten years.

That was how long they had been trapped.

No sunlight. No fresh air. No one else except for themselves to talk to, act with, bond with. No one else to call their own.

Yet, for all those miserable years, they made do.

The Warners loved each other, ever since they were first drawn with the red dots on their faces. They continued to care for each other, even when they made trouble. Even when they made people pull their hair out. Even when they fell, upon which one or two would help the other back up again. Even after the first day of being locked up in that forsaken water tower, they still never left each other's sides. Not that they had a choice in the matter… but they were more than glad and thankful that they at least had this… that they at least had each other.

Yakko had always been fourteen, the eldest looking after his younger siblings. The tower wasn't exactly a place of many (exterior) problems; his siblings couldn't get hit by cars, killed by psychos, or simply bonked on the head with a mallet. Despite that, they still needed some sort of leader, parent… older brother. Someone to lean on, cry on - Yakko was the authoritative but loving figure even before he leaped off the paper. He was the eldest brother, they had no parents (or at least no drawn ones… and their human creators wanted absolutely nothing to do with the trio). Yakko  _ had _ to be the way he was.

Yakko was the one who taught his siblings how to master the use of their hammerspace and the floor of the stage. He taught them how to read, using the books that manifested in their makeshift home. He taught them right from wrong, like how you shouldn't whack your sibling on the head with a mallet for no apparent reason (though that was still an evident problem they had, at least it was funny).

Yakko sat in his favorite chair, reading a book composed of collections of poems. Like he usually did, he glanced up to take note of where his siblings were. They were right where they were, last time he checked… just a minute ago. Wakko laid on his stomach on the floor, doodling on a scrap of paper with crayons. A box of his waxy tools laid not long away from him. Different colors were displayed around him.

Wakko was the very definition of a middle child; he was an odd and quiet eleven-year-old but was loved by his two other siblings nonetheless. The middle sibling also ate -  _ a lot.  _ Ever since the moment he was first created, he was eating something - anything. His siblings at first thought of this as a mere quirk of his character, how he was written to be as a running gag. However, they soon came to learn why their brother needed to eat so much - other than the fun of it. A little over twenty-four hours after they were locked up, something… happened.

Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, Wakko had collapsed onto the tower floor. His body had begun to shut down. Within the panic, with the thought of knowing that his baby brother was going to die… Yakko had finally noticed the fact that Wakko hadn't eaten in a long time. He came to the conclusion that he needed to eat. But eat what? They had nothing. They had yet to even learn how to manipulate the tower, to conjure up any foods aside from cream pies. Cream pies. They fed him pies, albeit after Wakko's siblings smacked each other in the face with them… that was the only way they could make them appear, at the time. After the incident, Yakko - and soon his siblings - learned to make other foods, and how to obtain them without having to plant them in someone's face.

Wakko had hypoglycemia, Yakko read from an encyclopedia he managed to get. How or why a Toon would even have such a human condition… used to be beyond him. Toons didn't need to eat, at least not like humans did. Food was needed if a Toon had been utilizing Toon abilities, if a Toon didn't get the energy they needed after spending so much... then they would become weak. But… they certainly would not die.

Wakko's condition wasn't the end of it though, as Yakko discovered he too had one… and, much like Wakko, they had found out the hard way.

Wakko had challenged Yakko to an ice cream-eating contest. Yakko had never eaten ice cream before, same for most other dairy products. Before then, he would have a bit of cheese now and again… which would always send his insides churning, although not to the point of agonizing pain. Since it was such a minor discomfort, Yakko thought nothing of it. He simply assumed everyone felt that way when eating it and left it at that. However, a pinch of cheese was much different than  _ bowls  _ of frozen, creamy lactose. Wakko obviously won the challenge… but not much later into their competition, Yakko crumpled into a compact ball of whimpering pain and suffering. It took hours of writhing and upchucking for the pain to just ease. All the while, his younger siblings cared for him, as he and his youngest sib did for Wakko. Yakko felt guilty - guilty for being the one taken care of despite being the very one needing to administer such attention... but any and all discomfort and pain in his being overrode any feeling of incompetence.

It was all a joke.

A sick, disgusting joke.

Yakko knew about lactose intolerance and hypoglycemia. They were  _ human  _ conditions, they were not at all obtained by natural occurrences. These  _ conditions _ \- these…  _ ailments…  _ they were deliberately given to them. Knowing this only fueled the flame of his hatred towards the outside world… especially towards humans… towards his creators. They made them like this.  _ They  _ did  _ this  _ to them. As if locking them away for the rest of eternity wasn't enough. Before they even began to have conscious thought, the Warners were being played with… as if their lives were just some sort of game, a joke. A  _ joke. _

What scared the eldest Warner the most was that he had not yet learned of any illness that his youngest sibling may have had, if any. For all he knew, it could have been a disease - slowly festering in his dear flesh and blood. Slowly killing them. Right in front of his eyes.

Yakko realized that his breathing had become shaky, uneven.

He took a deep breath

then exhaled.

  
  


Once his mind was mildly calmed, his eyes drifted over to his youngest sibling, Smakko. The ten-year-old was sitting by the fireplace (which was definitely not there the day before) also looking through a book, albeit a magazine - with a fetching, young and blonde woman on the cover. Yakko pursed his lips. He needed to get the boy a hobby aside from staring at girls. The oldest Warner enjoyed it himself, but he wouldn't exactly call it a good use of time.

_ But honestly? Who actually cared and thought of the use of time inside the vault? _

Still, his little sib should find something better to do.

  
  


"How much longer do you think we’re going to stay in here?"

Yakko's ears perked.

He looked back at the middle sibling, who had stopped drawing - but had not looked up from the paper.

"The answer is obvious, bozo, we're never getting out of here," the smaller voice of Smakko could be heard, his face buried in his mag.

Wakko's question had been asked so many times, by both of his younger siblings. Smakko had sooner given up, not just in asking but in the hope of freedom in general. But through it all, Wakko stayed hopeful… and Yakko really wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

Wakko promptly sat up and turned to look at his youngest brother. Yakko immediately noticed the frustrated look on his face.

This wasn't good.

"That's bold of you to say when you put up your hair like a  _ girl. _ "

The magazine flipped down.

Usually, when petty insults were thrown either way with the younger siblings, it was always nonsensical and never mattered… what was said was almost always forgotten. They  _ were  _ just little sibling arguments.

But then, when the pages came down, the two saw a face with true hurt. A hurt that Yakko had never seen from either of them, at least in this sort of situation. His heart twinged as he saw tears bridge the eyes of his youngest brother.

Yakko calmly put his book aside. Adult mode initiated.

"Wakko, you apologize to your brother - now."

Wakko looked at him defensively, "But he-"

"Wak, you really hurt his feelings. Please."

The middle sibling gazed over at Smakko, who was now looking away to avoid eye contact… and to hide the tears that were about to fall. Wakko sighed.

"I'm sorry, baby brother," Wakko murmured. "You… your hair doesn't really make you look that much like a girl."

Smakko stayed the way he was. Actually, his expression seemed worse than before.

This started to concern them, their youngest brother usually retorted at insults every time… but now he was just sitting there, looking  _ legitimately _ hurt. What was it this time that was different? Was it the build-up of so many arguments over the many decades? Surely arguing with the same person over and over got tiring… perhaps that was it.

But…

That look in his eyes.

Yakko really didn't like that.

He was originally going to ask Smakko to apologize too, but considering how he was acting… Yakko left the moment at that.

They soon returned to what they were doing, Smakko following soon after.

  
  


The youngest hid his face in the pages, more so than he did before.

  
  
  
  


* * *

The small but hard-hitting argument had left an impression.

Yakko couldn't wrap his head around it. Both Wakko and Smakko had long hair, at least compared to the other male Toons that they saw before being locked away, and those they saw in books. Wakko let Yakko cut his hair, but never his bangs - unless they were getting annoyingly long for the middle sibling's tastes. His bangs were always hidden underneath his newsboy cap. That was, until bedtime, when the cap was set on the nightstand near his hammock and Yakko's ball pit.

Smakko was a bit different, however.

He also asked Yakko to cut his hair, albeit less often and in a more strange demeanor… like he was embarrassed to get his hair cut. Then again, he also acted embarrassed or even ashamed to keep it longer and uncut. Yakko felt it wasn't a big deal, Smakko could have his hair any way he wanted. Heck, if he asked to go bald, he still wouldn't mind (okay, maybe he would mind, but still). There was definitely a deeper meaning behind Smakko's behavior, but Yakko was never really sure if he should ask if it really made him that uncomfortable. The notions came and went, just as his siblings came and went after a bit of trimming.

This time, though…

After that comment Wakko made…

Yakko knew there was something more serious going on. He didn't know what exactly… it wasn't like there was a book that had the specific answer to his specific question of,  _ "Why is my brother so self-conscious about his hair?" _

When Yakko made decisions, it was based on his wits and book smarts. When that failed or didn't fit the situation, he did what his heart told him. But if Smakko was uncomfortable about any questions Yakko threw his way and didn't want to answer or talk, the older Warner couldn't do much about it… other than asking nicely, being reassuring, or even getting down on his knees and begging.

He yawned. His eyes and head really hurt from staying awake. After placing a bookmark on his page, Yakko laid the book on the end table beside him.

"I think it's time to turn in," Yakko stretched out his legs.

At first confused from getting silence in return, he realized Wakko was already asleep on the floor - tongue out and drool making a small puddle near his mouth. Yakko smirked, then looked past him to look at his other sibling. Feeling his smile falter, he forced it to stay up as he approached Smakko.

The youngest Warner was sitting idly, legs hugged against his body and his head resting on top with a less than optimistic expression. Yakko knelt next to him, then gently laid a gloved hand on his shoulder. The sad eyes moved slightly to gaze up at the taller figure, who was still towering above him even when kneeling.

"Hey, bud, let's go… okay?" Yakko said softly, trying to give the best act of  _ I'm certainly happy and totally not pretending to just brighten you up. _

It didn't seem to work.

Still, with a small smile, Yakko picked up his tiniest brother and brought him to bed. As they met the ladder to the bed, Smakko spoke up.

"I can walk, you don't have to carry me."

His voice was small.

Yakko set him down on his feet. As Smakko climbed the ladder to his bed, Yakko went back to retrieve Wakko. Yakko laid Wakko in his hammock. He then took off his hat, causing the bangs underneath to flop over to the side. Once the cap was put aside and Wakko was tucked snuggly in the warm covers, Yakko planted a kiss on his forehead. Padding back to and up the ladder, Yakko was about to say his goodnight to Smakko. However, he noticed something that interrupted his routine.

Smakko's breathing was heavy. The rising and falling of his small chest was very noticeable. Yakko noticed his own breathing, it was difficult to get air in and out.

He realized what the issue was.

His heart crumpled.

Another thing he couldn't control or do anything about.

The air inside the tower became scarily thin at times. Sometimes it felt like he was being suffocated, it was so bad. Over the years it had become increasingly easier but also harder to live in the water tower.

Easier because they had learned to manipulate the inside using their Toon abilities, getting whatever they wanted whenever they wanted - in most cases. Books they owned came and went, some were in rotation while others were brand new and published recently, there were a few they hadn't seen in years, and then there were ones that they never saw again.

Harder because… it was a water tower. A water tower is not created to house people or _any_ sort of living being. It had always been a bit stuffy and lacking much air. Yakko was hesitant in even keeping the fireplace since he knew it ate up oxygen. Although, seeing his siblings shiver a bit too harshly during the wintertime gave him the push to keep the fire going… at least for controlled periods of time. What made matters worse was what happened years ago, maybe twenty if they were counting correctly…

Even though they had always been alone in the tower, they could still hear the outside world… just muffled. They could hear cars, nearby birds, and airplanes that flew above… but there were also sirens. Loud and blaring. They had heard sirens before, but they assumed they were just for testing or at most false alarms.

When this one started, Wakko scurried to him and curled into a shivering ball in his lap. Both Yakko and Smakko laughed at his puppy-like behavior.

_ "Wakko, it's just a sound remember? It's not going to hurt you." _

_ "It's still scary…! And loud!" _

Yakko had to admit that the sirens  _ were  _ loud. Like Wakko, he had sensitive hearing, and loud noises were much more harmful to them than to someone like Smakko. However, he’d usually plug his and Wakko’s ears and ride it out until it was over. It was a pain, but since Yakko had grown to learn that there was no real danger - he was passive with it.

For a few minutes it was the same as usual… but it soon became clear that it wasn't.

People were beginning to scream. Children screamed. Babies cried and wailed. Explosions - like dynamite but louder and more frightening, and not at all funny. The noise wouldn't stop.

The three of them were huddled in a corner of the tower. Smakko was sobbing, he was so scared. Wakko never opened his eyes or spoke, burying his face into Yakko's chest as his body shook.

_ "Y-Yakko, what's happening?" _

He didn't know what to say.

The explosions came closer and closer to the tower, like a storm's thunders.

The sounds echoed in the metal tower, so deafeningly loud that it made Yakko's ears ring. He held his siblings tighter.

Then there was a crash, harsh sounds of metal. He felt himself go off balance before everything went completely dark.

When he woke up, he thought he was somewhere else. Dead perhaps. Out of the tower… out of their prison, finally… after ninety years of containment.

But they weren't.

Instead, the inside of their "home" was sideways. Evident dents in the walls and ceiling… and he and his siblings were terribly injured and petrified. The door of their vault was now on the floor. Still unopened.

The tower had fallen.

Their only means of escaping or leaving was not just locked but obstructed from ever being opened.

They were even more trapped than before.

Their water tower wasn't even a tower anymore. It was just a safe with no key that had been thrown into the bottom of the ocean with no cares of retrieving it.

No one cared.

No one was around to help them.

There was only silence outside.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


A hair tie was placed into his hand, which Yakko put into his pocket momentarily. He ruffled his baby brother's hair, which he had surprisingly grown out longer than he usually did.

  
  


"Smak…"

"Hmm?"

"You know, if anything is bothering you… you can talk to me about it. I am the one who yaks after all."

He was met with a blank stare. Eyes that were almost as tired and restless as his.

Yakko could faintly remember, decades ago, when those eyes were still bright and shining.

"Goodnight, Yakko."

He felt his throat tighten.

  
  


Yakko pulled up the blanket over his sibling, then placed a kiss on his forehead. He went down the ladder, taking out the band from his pocket and placing it beside Wakko's cap. He put out the flames of the fireplace. His feet stumbled in the dark, it was harder to see since his eyes were beginning to water. Yakko fell into his ball pit. Underneath the plastic was a thin blanket (he gave their warmest blankets to his younger siblings, without their knowledge of course) and a pillow. He laid on his side, covered himself in the colorful spheres and fabric… then he pressed the pillow over his head. His cries were stifled.

Everything hurt.

His body was uninjured. The greatest physical injuries he had ever endured in his life were years behind him. But he hurt, he hurt all over. His head was throbbing and all he could do was cry.

_ "How much longer do you think we’re going to stay in here?” _

The question wouldn't leave his brain. It felt like someone had smashed him in the head with a bat a dozen times. It felt like someone had stabbed him in the chest and left the blade inside. When he tried to move, the blade would just cut deeper inside… causing more injury and pain than before. He felt like he was dying.

But Toons were ageless. He couldn't die.

One hundred and ten.

_ One hundred and ten. _

He wished so badly that someone would just shoot him. To put him out of his misery. There was no one in the entire world that cared about them. No one. They were locked away from everyone and everything. Isolated. Alone. Suffering.

_ One hundred and ten. _

**_One hundred and ten._ **

  
  
  


Then suddenly, the pain in his body ceased. His mind was cleared of questions, and his head stopped thumping. He stopped crying. He could hear the quivering breaths of his mouth.

But now…

He couldn't feel anything.

He couldn't think of anything.

He wasn't tired either, despite him having not slept in weeks.

  
  
  
  
  


Yakko Warner felt numb.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


They were never going to leave this tower.


	2. Dawn of a New Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Warners are finally released, but the tension is high and one of the first faces they see is unfamiliar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning- This chapter has brief mentions of blood and serious topics such as war and nuclear warfare.

Above ground, it was noon, and the sun shined brightly.

Much of the land had been reduced to miles of desert, dust, and rubble. In it all, there was a protected place where the people were made of ink.

Wasteland.

Inside the castle, the king resided. The inky rabbit was currently working on his robot friend, whose circuits had been choked after a fresh incident.

The rabbit sighed, "Goof, I'd wish you'd be more careful… falling into that water fountain could have destroyed you. I don't know what I'd do if I had to consider remaking you."

The robot dog gave a guilty expression, or at least as good as one as he could make. "Garsh, sorry Oswald. I didn't mean to… Donald got real mad at me and I just started runnin'! It was an honest mistake-"

"Did you hear me? I can't handle losing you, Goofy!"

Robo-Goofy quickly hushed, gazing down at Oswald… who was now shivering, not looking at the robot as he had his clenched hands inside his torso.

Oswald squeezed his eyes shut, refusing to shed tears right now. If they were going to fall, it was going to be in private… where none of his subjects, citizens, or friends could see him.

He took a deep breath.

"I'm… sorry, Goofy. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I know it was just an accident." Oswald quickly wiped the palm of his hand against his face, then returned it in its place, "You're just… you mean a lot to me… is all."

The robot stayed silent. Oswald hoped he hadn't hurt his feelings too bad. He was only a robot, but Oswald still gave him powerful enough AI to be almost a real person. Robo-Goofy had emotions too, and they did affect him realistically… just like everyone else.

Toons were really just advanced AI as well… just a small step up from a robot such as RG.

Oswald shook his head. No need to get all existential. He was already in the dumps.

Just as he was about to close the torso of his robot friend - there was the pattering of feet coming from behind him. Oswald's head lifted and turned as he saw a blue figure enter his workshop.

It was his son, Junior, he looked frantic. Out of breath too.

Junior was supposed to be out in other parts of the country… Why was he already back, and so early?

Oswald snapped RG's torso shut then rushed over to his son, who was now hunched over with his hands on his knees - struggling for air.

"Junior, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

_ God, hopefully not another attack. _

Junior gasped then spilled out a string of words, "We found- there was- there were-  _ things _ !"

_ Okay, maybe he should have waited for him to calm down a bit and regain himself first. _

After a moment or two, Junior recollected and attempted to explain more clearly.

"W-We were out scavenging, ya know? Using our heat signature radar just in case there was…  _ something... _ outside of Wasteland?"

"Yes?"

"We found some… but…" cold sweat seemed to build on his face, "it's… it's not like the other times. I… I-I think we found  _ people.  _ The heat signatures weren't faint like they usually were… they were much stronger."

There were survivors…? Way out there?

"Where were they? Where have they been all this time?" Oswald couldn't believe any of this… but he knew June wouldn't just tell him a story like this.

  
  


The younger rabbit gazed at him, the look in his eyes like he had seen a ghost.

"They were in Burbank… Burbank, California."

Oswald's eyes widened.

  
  


Burbank.

Burbank was one of the places hit the hardest during the war. There was practically nothing left there. For the longest time, the place was far too dangerous to scavenge because of the intense radiation and thinner poisoning. It wasn't until fairly recently when it was safe enough to even come near the area, even with their strongest equipment.

But there were survivors there…? And they weren't…

They weren't one of those  _ things. _

  
  


"How…"

"I really don't know either… but they were somehow shielded from the blasts. They're in some sort of container."

"How many were there?" Oswald finished his question, his mind going so fast because of being so stunned.

  
  


"There were three on our radar…"

  
  
  
  
  


* * *

The water tower had moved again.

Yakko clenched his teeth. So hard he thought they were going to break.

When his siblings were sleeping… Yakko could hear voices. At first, he thought he was starting to go insane… Why else would he be hearing voices - after all this time of pure silence?

The voices were muffled and there were many. Yakko had gotten up from his ball pit, pacing the cold floor. The voices. They came from all around.

His panicking must have woken up his siblings because later they were by his sides… asking if there was something wrong… if he was okay.

He was not okay. He was never okay.

But he couldn't just tell them something like that. It was his responsibility to be strong… to not panic…

But he was failing.

That was when their prison had begun to move again.

  
  


It moved until the vault door was no longer blocked.

Then it stopped.

For a while, the voices spoke again… too indecipherable to understand from the inside of the thick, metal walls.

Then they soon stopped as well.

  
  
  
  


Humans.

They were back for them.

Why they needed them now was not within Yakko's grasp but he knew that humans were going to do something with them.

Yakko's fur bristled. His fangs bared. He could feel the tips of his gloves be stretched by his now extended claws.

He had never been so furious.

Pissed.

Yakko couldn't begin to comprehend how unbearably enraged he was.

  
  


"Yakko? Yakko are you okay? Please… say something," Smakko tugged at his pant leg. He was scared by the expression on his oldest brother's face.

"Yakko, calm down… you're scaring us…" Wakko's voice was much quieter.

For once he couldn't speak.

He could hear his siblings clearly, but it only made the fire in his chest burn harder.

_ They were going to hurt his siblings. _

_ Like they have been doing for all these damned years… and they knew they were going to get away with it again. Again. Again. Again. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_ No. _

  
  
  


_ Not this time. _

  
  


* * *

"I'm glad you could come, Bugs," Oswald clasped his hands together, they were clammy. "I hope I didn't hinder you in your work."

Oswald anxiously fidgeted where he stood. The protective forcefield around the site glowed a light blue hue onto all of them. They had to protect themselves, plus the three subjects inside the vault, from the harmful effects of the war aftermath.

He invited Bugs Bunny to the scene because of the weight of the situation. If there really were people inside that vault, on Warner Brothers ground, then it would likely be much more comforting for them to see a familiar face.

"Don't sweat it, doc. I'm sure Lola will handle the place while Daffy pretends to help."

"Okay," Oswald tapped his foot, not registering the quip. He watched as guards formed at the sides of the door, "What… do you think is in there?"

"Hm?" The grey rabbit shoved his gloved hands into the pockets of his orange hoodie.

"You know… do you think they are humans? Toons that weren't able to reach the Warner bunker?" Oswald mentally grasped at the air for ideas, "Perhaps they were ones you missed, but were forgotten since they weren't as significant as... you and your cast?"

_ Oh boy, that was a really poor way of putting it. Hopefully, Bugs knew what he meant. _

The bunny didn't respond immediately. He stared off in the direction of the vault. An emotion in his eyes that Oswald couldn't pinpoint. Sadness? Anxiousness? Fear? Longing?

Without looking back, Bugs answered with a slight shrug, "Eh, could be anyone, really."

Oswald knew his face said otherwise.

If Bugs knew something he didn't… shouldn't he be telling him? If there was something greater than he imagined going on, he should have been the one to know. Right? This wasn't a joke or anything. Bugs said it himself,  _ anyone  _ could be behind that door. Or maybe...

Maybe Oswald shouldn't have been there at all.

Maybe he didn't have the right to even be standing there.

  
  


Oswald huffed a breath out through his nose. This was important, he  _ needed  _ to be there. The people behind that door needed to be greeted with open arms. It must have been horrifying having to be isolated in a fallen water tower, half-buried in the ground. All alone, with no certainty of rescue.

It shouldn't have mattered who was in there.

“Everything is ready, Your Majesty,” a guard had approached the two. “You may approach the vault when you wish.”

Bugs held his hand to his mouth in a coy manner, not bothering to hide the big grin on his face.

“Ooh,  _ Your Majesty?  _ How formal…”

Oswald’s face flushed red.

_ Bugs didn’t present his authority in the same way he did... Oswald knew that. Although now, he was wishing he was hiding in a deep hole. _

He cleared his throat and asserted himself, directing towards the guard, “Thank you, you’re excused.”

Once the guard left, Oswald awkwardly stood… feeling the other rabbit’s cheeky grin gleaming down on him. Oswald pushed himself to move forward, Bugs following suit. Once at the entrance of the vault, a guard nearby gave him a small, cylindrical device he created. It was similar to a skeleton key; it could unlock any door that did not have a typical keyhole.

Oswald gripped the device in his hands, but he paused.

Everything felt ghostly. A sharp chill went down his spine.

Without thinking, he had pressed his ear against the cold metal door.

…

Silence.

  
  


He wasn’t really sure what he was expecting. The metal of the vault must have been thick enough to mute any sound from within… or any that came from the outside.

The rabbit reeled back.

He took a quick glance at Bugs, who was back to having an oddly neutral face.

“Are you ready?” Oswald asked.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,  _ Your Majesty. _ ”

_ He was never going to live that down, was he? _

  
  
  


Even as he got that confirmation… Oswald felt… hesitant.

He was afraid.

He shouldn’t have been. He had dozens of guards around him, and a close friend to boot.

So why was his heart beating out of his chest?

His shaking, gloveless hand stuck the device to the door. It latched on. Oswald pressed a button on its side. A tingling sensation coursed through his arm. There was a low, metallic thud, as the vault door unlocked.

“Step back,” he spoke just loud enough for everyone to hear.

He, Bugs, and the guards around the door promptly backed off. The vault door swung down, letting out a screech and resounding boom as it met with the ground, sending out a cloud of dust and dirt. Oswald winced, that was a lot louder than he would have liked.

As the cloud began to clear, everyone sealed their lips.

Soon the view was clear, Oswald and Bugs approached the vault once more. They looked in…

And saw nothing.

There was nothing but black darkness.

Oswald could feel his ears flatten against his head.

He knew it was an overused saying, but the only thing he could think of was,  _ “stare deep into the void, and the void stares back into you.” _

The rubberhose rabbit climbed onto the fallen door of the vault.

“Careful, doc,” he could hear Bugs whisper from behind him.

Oswald came closer to the opening. His black eyes gazed into the dark.

“Hello? Anyone there?”

He called out. The echo of his voice was the only response.

Looking down at the radar on his wrist, he activated it. It beeped. Three red dots showed up on the grid. They were right there. In front of him.

It didn’t make any sense. Why weren’t they responding? Could they respond? They could have been mute, immobile, or too scared to approach.

He activated the radar again.

One of the dots had started to move.

It was moving right towards him, at an alarming rate.

His eyes widened.

Before he could react, a blur of black and white forcefully propelled him backward. He landed on his back harshly. He was pinned to the ground. The rabbit braced his arm at his face as sharp teeth pierced the flesh of his forearm. Oswald screamed.

His attacker was wrenched off him as two guards took hold of them from behind. Someone touched him, he cried out.

“Doc, it’s okay, it’s me.”

It was Bugs, his voice uncharacteristically alarmed, but rightfully so.

Oswald searched for the one who attacked him. In no time he found the two guards, holding a…

Kid.

It was a kid.

He couldn’t have been older than eighteen. He was rubberhose, like Oswald, but had a red nose. The ears on his head were floppy and thin like a rabbit’s, but too short to be so. Tufts of fur were on the sides of his cheeks. The fur on his cat-like tail was flared and sticking up. His clothes were very outdated, from around the time he was drawn… Ink was sprinkled all over his button-up t-shirt and brown dress pants. His face was menacing, feral… Oswald’s inky blood dripping from his teeth and lips. Oswald shivered in Bugs’ hold. The kid screamed and violently shook around, attempting to get free.

_ “LET GO OF ME! YOU’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE THEM AWAY FROM ME! I’LL KILL YOU!” _

Oswald saw as a third guard stepped in, holding a syringe.

  
  


“WAIT! Stop, stop, I know him!”

Oswald was startled to hear Bugs yell from behind him. First quickly but carefully setting Oswald down, Bugs belted towards them. The guards looked at him cautiously, but their gazes also held confusion and surprise. They still made sure to hold back the child. Keeping a safe distance, Bugs came to stand in front of the boy.

“Yakko… Yakko Warner. I-It’s me, Uncle Bugs!”

The boy ceased screaming and slowly stopped writhing around. He stared at Bugs in disbelief. Tears came to bridge his eyes.

“Bugs…?” his voice was quiet and hoarse from screaming.

“It’s me, kid… and everything is gonna be alright. You hear me?”

“Y-Yes…”

“Uncle Bugs!”

Two new voices came. This time, Bugs was toppled over. More guards were about to step in, but they shortly realized that no violence was happening. In fact, they heard as Bugs was laughing.

The voices had come from two other rubberhose children, who looked exactly like “Yakko.” They were around half his height and seemed years younger than him. One was licking Bugs’ face like a puppy, their tail wagging happily; they wore a brown newsboy cap, a white button-up that was much like Yakko’s but long-sleeved, and green shorts. The other kid was hugging Bugs tightly, nuzzling their face into his chest; they had pretty long hair, tied up into a short ponytail, and wore blue shorts.

After a few more joy-filled laughs, Bugs sat up with the two in the crooks of his arms.

“I knew you guys were in there but… I just can’t believe I’m seein' you!”

The one with the long hair crossed their arms, “ _ I _ can’t believe you’re wearing a potato sack! Has fashion really gone  _ that  _ bad?” They had a high-pitched voice, but Oswald could tell it was that of a boy’s.

“Well, I like it. It’s so soft and warm…” The other boy had some sort of English accent, oddly enough. He buried his face into the fabric of Bugs’ hoodie.

“It’s nice t' see ya little stinkers haven’t changed,” Bugs squeezed them in a hug, making them giggle.

During the exchanges, Yakko had been released… albeit, with the guards breathing down his neck. He still seemed to be in shock; his eyes were dilated and his mouth was agape, his claws still making points in his gloves. His hands were shaking. Bugs looked up at him, his face turning a bit soft.

“You okay?”

Yakko didn’t say anything. His mouth closed.

The two younger Toons leaped to their feet and embraced him.

“See! See, Yakko, we’re free! I knew it would happen!” The one with a hat exclaimed, happy tears in his eyes.

  
  


Everything that had transpired was so curious, happened so fast. Emotions going on a roller coaster. Oswald still trembled slightly, a guard gently got him to his feet.

“We should get you to safety, Your Majesty. You’re bleeding heavily.”

Despite his current injury, Oswald was glad to see the children happy and relatively safe. However, he couldn’t help but look back with concern.

That boy, Yakko…

Sure, he had attacked someone in a state of animalistic panic… but wouldn’t he be joining his siblings in celebration? They must have been in that vault for twenty years,  _ at least. _

But even as he looked back, there was no hint of happiness on his face.

In fact, Yakko looked like he was going to be sick.

Perhaps it was just the taste of his blood.

  
  
  


* * *

_ " Over a hundred years? " _

"Yeah, I'm sure they had been in there all this time."

Bugs sat with Oswald in the king’s personal clinic, a nurse had disinfected and stitched the rubberhose Toon’s wound. At the moment she was finishing up, wrapping bandages around the arm. Oswald seemed very shocked about the Warners, how they had suddenly vanished - only now to be revealed to have been locked up until now. Bugs could tell how worried he was, even sensing the growing concern that only a parent like Oswald could have.

Bugs and his cast were very close with the Warner siblings. Bugs so much so that he earned the title "Uncle Bugs," which he wore on his sleeve… until the three kids suddenly vanished. Everyone was worried about them. Where had they gone? They all asked other Warner Toons, neighbors, and humans… but no one ever really had an answer. Soon, Bugs was approached by higher-ups in the company… which, at first, wasn't at all mysterious or off-putting, he was the icon of the company after all. However, it turned out that he was approached for a much different reason than usual. They told him to stop looking for the Warner siblings, that they were alive and somewhere safe, and there was no reason for him to go snooping around. Of course, Bugs gave a snarky remark in return, though it was one he couldn't quite remember. Probably because right after, he was threatened with his life.

_ "If we continue to hear word of the Warner siblings. We will not hesitate to dip anyone that is causing that discourse. Are we clear?" _

Bugs highly doubted he,  _ the  _ Bugs Bunny, would be dipped… but he knew that if he wasn't, then someone he cared about - someone deemed much less important than he or his cast -  _ would _ be. So he kept his mouth shut.

For the longest time, he didn't know what happened to the Warner siblings. For years he thought about them, wondering and worrying but never able to act. He hated it. 

Then one day, he was on set in Burbank, California.

Bugs was standing outside his trailer, it was late into the night and during his break. He was reading over his script, despite knowing it backwards and forwards. He was also munching on a carrot. Soon he heard the flopping of webbed feet come towards him.

"Whaddya doin', Bugs?" Daffy asked, he then slurped loudly on the straw of his soda.

"Not much, honestly."

"I thought you said you had  _ something to do  _ as you dramatically exited the set?"

"Yeah, I needed a moment to myself. It's good for an actor t' just have a moment of peace, not surrounded by people all the time."

"You're doing a pretty horrible job."

"I know,  _ thanks, _ " Bugs then rolled up the script and bonked Daffy on the head with it. Daffy gave a messy raspberry in response.

The rabbit then put the script into his hammerspace before continuing to eat his carrot. He watched as Daffy's eyes wandered around aimlessly. Moments later, Daffy seemed to spot something in the distance. Before Bugs could ask what it was, Daffy spoke.

"Do we even use those anymore?"

Bugs followed Daffy's gaze. He then found that he was seeing a tall structure in the distance.

It was a water tower, it was old, with the WB logo plastered on the front.

Bugs finished his carrot then spat out the leafy end, "Yeah, Daffy. The way we distribute water hasn't changed that much over the years."

Daffy squinted his eyes, unconvinced. He continued to suck on his clearly empty cup. Other than the grating sound, it was quiet. Then moments later, Daffy spoke again.

"Do you think…  _ they  _ are in there?"

Bugs arched a brow, "What?"

Daffy came close to him. Bugs would have said he was invading his space, but at the moment he was tired and curious.

"You know…  _ the ones who shall not be named? _ "

Bugs squeezed his eyes shut as Daffy's spit showered his face. When he was done, Bugs gave him a stern look… but he did think about what Daffy had said.

Then his eyes widened.

He straightened up, causing Daffy to stumble back a bit.

Bugs spoke in a whisper-yell, _"_ _ Why the hell would you say that? " _

Daffy whispered as well, but he was doing a very poor job. Bugs became worried that someone would hear them.

" _ Well,  _ if they were to hide them somewhere… wouldn't the water tower be a place you'd least expect?"

"Daffy, it's been almost sixty years… I don't think they're…"

"You've given up on them?"

"No… I just…"

"Then why do you doubt me?"

Bugs looked at the water tower again. For as many times as he’s seen it, he had never seen anyone around it. Something in the back of his head was telling him that there was something off about it. Something.

Was he seriously believing something Daffy said? Something so far-fetched?

“I do… doubt it a little bit, Daffy,” uncertainty dripped in his voice.

Bugs then saw the look on Daffy’s face. It was an expression he had never seen before, one he couldn’t read.

The duck didn’t say another word for the rest of the night.

Luckily, he wasn’t needed on set.

  
  
  
  


A question stayed in Bugs’ mind still, even to that day, even after the Warners were finally released: Why were they locked up in that tower in the first place?

They were only kids.

What had they done to deserve such a vile punishment?

  
  
  
  
  


Oswald was given a paint ointment to apply to his arm every day until it was healed. The two rabbits then exited the mobile building. It was still pretty bright out. Seems the Warners’ perception of time had become way off, they had said they were sleeping before the vault was opened. Just outside, the Warners were waiting. Wakko was on the ground crunching on snacks that were given to him by the nurses, while the two other siblings sat nearby. Smakko sat in Yakko’s lap, while the older sibling had their arms around him in a gentle embrace. Yakko then noticed Oswald and Bugs’ presence… specifically Oswald’s. A guilty expression etched onto his face.

The rabbits approached the two, but before they could say anything Yakko spoke.

“I-I’m really sorry for what I did to you. I promise I’m not usually like that.”

“I know Yakko, and it’s okay. The doc said that this would heal up in just a couple of weeks,” Oswald reassured him, rubbing the tender spot on his arm.

Yakko still held a frown on his face, “O-Okay.”

Oswald scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. Bugs saw this and spoke for him.

“Your Majesty was offering that once we get back to Wasteland, you kids could stay with him for the time being.”

“Really?” The two younger siblings said in unison.

“W-Wait, no,” Yakko intervened. “You don’t have to do that, really.”

“You three have been on your own for so long,” Oswald reasoned. “Being isolated from the world and then having to live in it on your own would be extremely difficult. If you stay at my castle for a bit, it can help you get back on your feet.”

“I… I’ve been taking care of my sibs just fine all this time…”

“Yakko, it would be good if you got help for once,” Wakko said, balling up a wrapper.

“Yeah, and… there’s gonna be a bunch of new problems we wouldn’t have had in the tower. Plus the world has changed a lot since the 30s, there’s probably a lot more problems than the last time we were here!” Smakko added, pushing his body against Yakko’s. “And look at Uncle Bugs! Even  _ he’s  _ changed a lot since we last saw him. That should stand for something, right?”

Yakko knew his siblings had a point. He was just nervous being out in the world after all this time, and being asked by a stranger to stay with them. But surely that was just him being paranoid, Oswald seemed like a nice guy - plus he assisted in the operation to free them… and… Yakko did just bite the hell out of his arm, it would be totally uncalled for to do that and then just leave.

And that thing about Bugs, yeah, he did look a whole lot different compared to the last time they saw them. A scary amount of difference. Yakko was surprised he recognized him. Maybe he could just sense it was him, and he definitely acted like the Bugs Bunny he knew.

If Yakko declined Oswald’s offer, he’d just be setting himself up for failure.

“Okay. I accept.”

  
  
  
  


After a while of packing up, the five boarded onto one of the many large fallout vans. The Warner’s were fascinated by its slick and “futuristic” design. Oswald explained to them that it was made specifically for traveling to highly dangerous areas such as Burbank. It would protect all of them from the harms that existed outside, even without a forcefield. 

“Where are we going now?” Smakko asked, huddled up next to Yakko - much like his second-to-oldest brother on the opposite side of the seat cushions.

The five sat towards the middle section of the van, while the driver silently transported them.

“Hours away from here is a settlement, Lamplight,” Bugs stated. “We stayed there overnight before we came t' release ya. A lot of the residents there are from Pixar and Disney.”

“Pixar?”

“Oh… yeah. You weren’t around for that.” Bugs caught the drowsy Oswald beside him from falling over. “You should probably get some rest, doc. I’ll look over the kids while ya sleep.”

Oswald rubbed his eyes, his voice was groggy, “Mm, alright.”

He then shuffled over to one of the rooms cut off from the main area.

Bugs then continued, “Pixar was sort of a branch off of Disney. It came around in the 80s, pretty famous for starting a new era of animation.”

“Oh, cool!” Smakko chirped.

For a while, the van became silent. The two youngest Warner siblings had fallen asleep, while the eldest had his eyes wide and alert - but staring blankly at the ceiling. Bugs could tell that the kid clearly hadn’t slept in days. There were dark rings around Yakko’s eyes.

_ What happened today certainly won’t help. _

Bugs had seen how desperate Yakko looked when he asked for some way to wash out his mouth of Oswald’s ink. The kid had finally broken out of his nearly catatonic state. However, with that, he was back to having a pleading look in his eyes, with a similar sense in the sound of his voice - which was still strained from screaming. Since the clinic was reserved for the king and Bugs, and Yakko’s current behavior was seen as a potential threat - the guards had offered the hose on the side of one of the vans. The Warner had immediately agreed and had stood there for nearly ten minutes straight washing out his mouth. Before Bugs entered the clinic to see Oswald, he caught a glance of Yakko’s water-stained face. Bugs highly doubted it was just regular water around his eyes.

Bugs couldn’t stand seeing him in such a broken state.

Why…

Why had this happened to them?

“Where are they?”

Bugs’ ears perked as he heard the faint voice. He looked over at the Warner he was thinking of.

“Who are ya talking about?” Bugs tried to not make his voice sound too concerned. Not to seem uncaring, but he didn’t want the mood to be dampened more than it already was.

“Your superiors. Humans. Who sent you to come to look for us? What do they want with us?”

The rabbit stayed quiet for a moment, unsure how to respond - at least not immediately.

“There are no superiors.”

“What do you mean?” Yakko glared, not at Bugs but the ceiling still… burrowing a nonexistent hole into it.

“All humans are gone, kid.”

Slowly, the tension in Yakko’s face disappeared. He didn’t exactly look shocked, but he definitely seemed to think that what he had heard was a trick of his mind. It couldn’t be true.

“What...?”

Bugs leaned further back into the cushions of his seat. “Do you know anything about the war?”

“I… I know it led to the stock market crash. People lost a lot of things…”

Bugs silently winced. For a moment he debated to himself if he should even tell him. Though, he knew it would be wrong not to.

Bugs sighed, “You’re thinking of the  _ first  _ World War.”

Yakko blanked for a moment, before letting out a miserable little laugh.

“You’re  _ kidding _ , right?” Yakko actually lifted his head. His eyes wavering at the rabbit, “There was more than one?”

“Yeah… three to be exact. The third one did them in. They nearly wiped everyone out.”

“So… those explosions…”

“Atomic bombs. They create really big explosions, just one could destroy an entire city and still kill afterward with its residue - radiation. But first, they sprayed thinner into the air, out of airplanes. They wanted to kill Toons first. Then they used the bombs, intending t' finish us off - and t' kill the humans that were there. Though they underestimated us, a lot of Toons were quick and knew t' hide in the bunkers made for us by our companies and communities. Humans in the area were not so lucky. They didn’t have t' worry about the thinner in the air, so they tried to escape - I had never seen so many cars bunched together. Even if they got out of the area, everyone was bombing everyone, everywhere. So… it didn’t matter.”

Yakko had stared wide-eyed as he listened, then something itching at his mind made him speak.

“If… if this all happened… then how was our water tower not destroyed?”

Bugs swept his fingers through his hair, “I dunno kid. It must have been made out of some sort of special material. Oswald was actually thinking of looking into that as well.”

  
  


Yakko sat with his thoughts.

Every human. Gone.

That couldn’t be true, right?

Surely some humans were able to hide in bunkers too or some sort of makeshift shelter. But if Oswald and other Toons really were actively trying to find survivors… wouldn’t they have found them by now?

Yakko thought of all the humans he knew. The ones he knew before he and his siblings were locked away, never to see them again. There was Thaddeus Plotz, the nasty CEO that resided in Burbank at the time. The man absolutely loathed the Warners, and Yakko wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if he was the one who suggested having the Warners locked up in the first place. The three of them loved messing with him though. Next, there was (Hello!) Nurse; they never really learned her name, so they just called them by the exclamation he and Wakko used when they first met her. She was a very beautiful and intelligent woman and took care of the Warners when they needed some sort of physical treatment. Yakko and Wakko always flirted with her (which was an occasion that Smakko, oddly, didn’t participate in - despite him being interested in everything about girls), but they still saw her as a person and not just an object. The flirting, innuendos, and bird-calling were just for gags and laughs. They truly cared for her person, and she knew that.

Then there was Dr. Otto Scratchansniff.

The psychiatrist was definitely the one they were closest with. He was basically their parent, who the Warners drove nuts. Despite being annoyed to hell and back by the Warners, Dr. Scratchansniff loved them. Genuinely loved them. It was a love that only he held, no other human nor Toon felt the same way towards the Warners. They were family.

It was funny. Yakko had become so blinded by his hatred of the ones who locked them up… that he had forgotten about the ones who truly cared about them. The only ones that cared...

and now...

They were gone.

He was gone.

  
  


Forever.

  
  
  
  


Yakko didn’t speak again until they reached Lamplight, that evening.

  
  
  
  


* * *

“This is the room you kids will be staying in until we’re ready t' head t' Wasteland. There's even some different clothes in the drawers if you'd like t' try 'em on.”

Bugs then opened the door to a very cozy looking bedroom. Three beds lined up against the wall, around the middle bed were two nightstands with desk lamps instead of the usual ones. On the farthest side of the room, there was a dresser with a mirror above it. Then there was a door towards the right that supposedly led to the restroom. Wakko and Smakko ran in, taking the second and third farthest beds respectively to jump and bounce on.

Bugs placed a hand on Yakko’s shoulder, bringing him out of his dazy state.

“Please try t' get some sleep, doc,” the rabbit then used his other hand to give an indicating finger. “I’ll even get some guards up here t' watch the place… if that would make ya feel safer.”

“I appreciate it, but… no thanks,” Yakko replied. He felt that his first impression with the guards left a bad taste in their mouths. In fact, it would probably make him feel even less safe if they were here.

Bugs nodded, understanding. “Either way, please try t' get some shut-eye.” As Bugs turned to leave, he swiftly faced Yakko again as he remembered something. “By the way, Oswald’s son is coming in a bit t' give you guys something. So don’t be alarmed if ya hear knocking in a bit.”

“Alright, thanks Bugs.”

Bugs smiled at him, then left down the hall of the motel. Yakko passed the threshold of the doorway and closed the door behind him. He watched as his siblings started a loud (and pretty violent) pillow fight. Yakko would have joined in, but he was so exhausted that he just wanted to lie down. He did, and he sighed as his back rested comfortably on the mattress. It was at that moment when he questioned why the hell he had slept in a ball pit for so many years. Then he realized that he would much rather be in a stylish place in his sleep rather than a place that was actually possible to be slept in. After all, if you never sleep, what’s the point of getting the latter? Nevertheless, he rested his hands on his stomach and his head sank into the pillow. His eyes were throbbing from the lack of rest, but he was so alert that he could barely keep them closed. Although, with the happy sounds of his siblings beside him - he felt like he could stay there forever. For a moment he actually felt himself start to drift off.

Then he was dragged away from the moment as there was knocking at the door.

Oh, right, Bugs had just told him that someone was coming over. He had already forgotten.

His siblings momentarily stopped bashing each other over the head with pillows and hopped off and over to Yakko - who was already walking to the door. On the other side, Yakko saw Oswald. At least, at first, he thought it was Oswald. The person looked exactly like him, but his fur was instead a light blue instead of black. Instead of wearing blue shorts, this guy wore… well, nothing. Though none of them paid it any mind.

“Hi! I’m Junior, but you can call me June. I’m King Oswald’s son,” the blue rabbit then shook hands with Yakko and patted the heads of the shorter two. Smakko gave a big smile as Wakko chuckled and wagged his tail. Yakko liked Junior's friendly demeanor but was still a bit nervous from the stranger’s presence, plus the lack of sleep.

“Do you have anything for us?” Smakko noticed June’s hand rummaging through his hammerspace.

“In fact, I do,” June retrieved three small, sleek, and rectangular devices and passed each one to the Warners. “These are smartphones. You can do a whole bunch of stuff with them. Oswald thought this would be a good way to get you caught up with technology since basically everyone uses these. I would love to teach you guys how to use them now, but since it’s been an eventful day - I thought we could save that for tomorrow. For now, I was thinking you guys could just explore for yourselves. Like you could learn the UI for instance.”   
Wakko’s tail continued to whip back and forth, “I dunno what that means but this kinda looks like an ice cream sandwich.”

“Haha, yeah, it does!” June grinned, suddenly he leaned towards Yakko. He whispered, “ _ Please don’t let them break or eat them, they’re really expensive. _ ”

Despite the sudden breach of space and being startled by it, Yakko nodded fervently.

June then stood straight again and addressed the trio, “well, I’ll be going now. Sleep well!”

With that, he left. Yakko took a moment to watch him stride down the hall before closing the door. He looked down at the device in his hand. Yakko had heard briefly what a “smartphone” was, from what he learned from books he read that appeared in their library. Though what he learned was very bare-bones, and he never came across a book that went in-depth. He knew you could call people, like any other phone… but you could also go on the “Internet” which Yakko really wished he knew about since that seemed to be mentioned a lot in different books, even in ones that didn’t have phones in them. For the longest time, he wished he had one to help him learn since he had become so interested.

However, now he had one and he was too tired to even try - at least at the moment.

He put the phone into his hammerspace as he watched his siblings look at theirs. Yakko would have loved to explore with them, but it would be better to get them back to a normal sleep schedule.

“Alright sibs, I know you wanna see how they work but we gotta sleep,” Yakko finally noticed how horrible his voice sounded, it was as if he had been screaming and yelling for hours.

“Okay…” they said in unison. They sounded disappointed but they  _ were  _ tired and seemed a bit frustrated in not even being able to find out how to turn the devices on.

The two put their phones into their hammerspaces, then Yakko helped them in fixing up the beds they had already messed up in the short time they had been there. Yakko tucked in each of them, kissing them and telling them goodnight. He climbed into bed, then they finished the usual routine that they were not able to do last time.

“Goodnight older brothers,” Smakko murmured under the covers.

“Goodnight baby brother,” Wakko’s tongue dangled from his mouth, a goofy smile spread across his muzzle. “Goodnight oldest brother.”

“Goodnight sibs,” Yakko rasped, he reached to turn off the light of the lamp beside him.

It took a while for his eyes and mind to give in, but knowing that their lives were changing - for the better for once - gave Yakko the courage to fall asleep for the first time in too long.

  
  
  


When he opened his eyes, he became confused. Not only was he standing, but he was outside. He could see the Warner movie lot from where he stood. All the buildings he towered above. There was no sign of life below him. Yakko realized he was leaning on a railing. It dawned on him, and his vision wavered.

He was on the water tower.

At that moment, he started to hear sirens. He pressed his hands against his ears, the sirens were so loud. Their wailing was broken, unsettling - the sirens had never been replaced since they were first put up years ago. Even as he blocked his eardrums the sound was deafening. He managed to hear an engine roar from above. Yakko pried his eyes open and saw an airplane fly over him. From it, a green mist came.

Yakko stumbled back into the metal wall of the tower. He had to hide. But he noticed that his siblings were nowhere in sight. He spun around to the entrance to the tower. Glancing up - he saw as the mist was coming closer. Warily, he removed his hands from his ears. He whimpered in pain as he tried to open the vault. His ears felt as though knives were being driven into them. Finally, he was able to open the vault just enough for him to go in. He leaned in, hoping to see his siblings already inside - to see joyful faces after they had seen their previously gone brother.

But there was no one inside. Only darkness.

Suddenly he was shoved inside. He fell. The vault door was shut and locked behind him.

_ "No! No! Sibs!" _

Yakko slammed his fists against the door. He pushed it with all his might. It wouldn't budge. He cried out, the sirens were somehow louder than before.

_ "WAKKO! SMAKKO!" _

His voice was muted in the wailing of the siren. Tears filled his vision and he couldn't see the outlines in the dark. He collapsed, his body had become weak. He couldn't move. He squeezed his eyes shut. All he could do was groan and cry out in agony.

His eyes were forced open.

In front of him, there was an outline of a figure. It was a Toon. Too exceedingly tall to be either of his siblings. An uncomfortably large grin was on their face. Each tooth was clear and visible, like their mouth alone was illuminated… but he couldn't see the eyes. Yakko then saw as a long, bony finger came up to its mouth.

The mellow sound it made, somehow overcoming the havoc happening upon Yakko's ears,

_ "Shh…" _

Its mouth didn't move.

The figure lunged at him.

  
  


Yakko woke up. His head flew off the pillow as he sat up. His body was drenched in a cold sweat and he was nearly hyperventilating. He sat there in the bedroom, shivering.

He turned his head to see his siblings sleeping peacefully beside him.

_ It was just a dream. You're not in the water tower anymore, and you're not going to die by thinner. _

_ And… there is no monster. _

One of Yakko's ears perked as he heard a floorboard creak beside him. He snapped his head towards the intruder who was trying to escape. The figure looked at him too, in mid-step.

It was Os- no, it wasn't. Yakko caught himself before making the same mistake again. It was Junior.

Before Yakko could ask, June explained himself, "I was just making sure you three were settling in okay. My father sent me."

Something about the way the rabbit looked at him was off… but that may have just been Yakko being on edge.

June stood straight, "Bad dream?"

Yakko took a moment to breathe, "Yeah…"

"I thought so, you were jostling around quite a bit. I heard you speaking, but it was too quiet to make out what you were saying. I would have woken you up but…"

The rabbit's voice trailed off.

Then he cleared his throat.

"Well, I should get going. Hopefully, the rest of the night won't be so bad?"

"Yeah," Yakko wasn't sure what else to say. His mind was still jumbled from the nightmare.

"Bye."

Junior slipped through the door and left.

Yakko fell back onto the mattress. A heavy and shaky breath escaped by his lips.

  
  


This was going to be a hard adjustment, but he had to be at his best.

For his siblings.


	3. To Cut a Toon's Hair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bugs and the Warner siblings hangout for the day. Yakko's worry for his youngest sibling only grows stronger.

**_8 hours remaining_ **

_ “What’s the surprise, Julius?” _

_ “Well, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told ya!” _

_ “Fair enough.” _

_ Julius the Cat towed the rabbit by his hand. Oswald had his eyes squeezed shut, but Julius insisted he cover them with his arm for extra security. The feline didn’t want him peeking. Today was Oswald’s ninety-third birthday, and for a long time, Julius had been planning for this. He couldn’t wait to see the look on the rabbit’s face. _

_ Soon they were right where Julius wanted, in the inner bailey. He was giddy with excitement, much more enthused than Oswald himself. However, the rabbit was still interested in what his older brother had in store for him. Julius was silent for a moment, then Oswald could hear as he quietly counted down. _

_ “Look now, Oswald!” _

_ Oswald uncovered and opened his eyes, and was met with a group of people in front of him. His body tensed as they all yelled, “Happy Birthday Oswald!” in unison. When he came to his senses, he realized who exactly the people were. They were all Disney characters - Minnie, Goofy, Max, Donald, Daisy, Pluto... even Pete and Mortimer were there. _

_ Then there was him. _

_ He stood towards the center, giving a slight wave with his hand. His face held a nervous smile as if he shouldn’t have been there. _

_ Mickey Mouse was right, he shouldn’t have been there. _

_ Julius saw as the smiles in the group faltered. Confused, he looked back at Oswald. Oswald’s eyes were flared in anger. If his demeanor wasn’t so serious - Julius was sure that steam would have been coming from the rabbit’s ears. _

_ Oswald wordlessly turned on his heel and stomped away. _

_ An awkward silence filled the air. _

_ Julius heard a sad sigh come from someone, he looked to see that it was Mickey. _

_ “I knew this would happen…” _

_ Minnie laid a hand on his shoulder. The others also looked downcast. _

_ “Oswald?!” _

_ Another voice came, but from behind Julius. He turned and saw Ortensia, she had been running and she looked fretful. When she caught sight of the scene, her expression worsened. Julius held her hands and was careful to not let her fall. Confusion still buzzed in his head. _

_ “I thought I could stop it in time, but… it seems I learned of the news too late…” Ortensia said remorsefully. _

_ “What’s going on? What’s the meaning of this? Why did Oswald- I don’t understand-” Julius stammered, he thought the rabbit would have a much more cheery reaction - this was not at all what he had planned. Not at all. And now the day was ruined. _

_ “Julius… There’s a reason why Ozzie hasn’t seen his brother in years. Oswald… has a grudge against his brother. A hatred, really.” _

_ Julius felt his stomach sink. He thought that finally reuniting the three brothers would make the rabbit ecstatic… but now it made more sense why Oswald never spoke about their younger brother. _

_ Ortensia continued, “He believes Mickey is the reason for all the bad things in his life. Mickey’s reason for creation was to… replace him. I’ve tried to reason with Ozzie, but… you know how stubborn he can be.” _

_ “I’m so sorry… This is all my fault…” _

_ “No, no, Jules! You didn’t know, don’t blame yourself,” she lifted his face, it was guilt-ridden. “I’m sure this will work out somehow. Oswald loves his other Disney family members, as I'm sure you know… but Mickey is the only one he needs help with. Now that I think about it… maybe this occasion is just what he needs, a time to finally put things behind him.” _

_ “You think so?” _

_ “Yes. Now that Mickey is here, Oswald will have no other choice but to see him. Perhaps with the help from the rest of his family, he will see through.” _

_ A smile began to appear on Julius’ face, hope brewed. _

_ He looked at her, more confident, “Then I will do my best to fix this.” _

_ “Thank you, Julius,” Ortensia was relieved to see him brighter, “but do remember… Oswald needs to come to terms with Mickey himself. All he needs is just a little push from us.” _

_ “Right.” _

  
  
  


* * *

It was now morning in Lamplight.

Yakko wasn’t able to get much sleep after his nightmare, but the little he did get helped slightly with his headache. He and his siblings got ready for the day, putting on the different clothes that Bugs mentioned the night before. They fit them quite well. After changing, Yakko thought to play around with their phones a bit. It took them around five minutes to find out how to turn them on. Yakko wasn’t sure if or when June was going to come, so he brought it upon himself to learn with his siblings. They took a look around with the different apps, the camera being their favorite tool to use (and it was really the only one they easily learned how to use). The pictures they took were in full color! Crystal clear too. The three of them took a bunch of pictures of them doing stupid and funny faces together, it was really fun… and at times had them in tears on the floor. Wakko made a gookie in nearly every single one.

“Wakko, you can be more creative than that…” Smakko commented. He was growing a bit annoyed by the repetition.

“But it’s funny!” Wakko pulled the face for the thousandth time, making Yakko chuckle (whose voice had gotten a bit better since the previous day).

Smakko rolled his eyes, falling back onto the floor. Then he pulled the hair-tie out of his hair, allowing the locks to come down in waves onto the wooden boards. He put the tie around his wrist. Lifting his phone above his face, he looked into the mirrored image that the camera gave. He ruffled his hair a bit.

“Hey, wait, you can make yourself black and white with this…” Yakko said out of the blue.

“You can?” Wakko jumped up next to him on his bed and looked at his brother’s screen.

“Yeah, but it’s a  _ filter.  _ Lemme try it on ya.”

Yakko turned his camera towards Wakko, giving him a second to come up with a pose or face. Surprisingly to him, Wakko didn’t do a gookie. Instead, he did his signature goofy smile with his tongue off to the side of his mouth. Yakko couldn’t help but smile at that. He then snapped a picture and leaned down against the shorter sibling to let him see. The photo was still sharp and high quality, just with the colors drained from it.

“Faboo!”

Yakko chuckled, wrapping an arm around him and hugging. Wakko then decided to play around with the different filters. 

This was really nice, Yakko thought. He hadn’t seen his siblings this happy in a long time. Sure, they had their moments in the tower… but the thought of knowing they would never escape the tower always stuck in the back of their minds and kept them from feeling truly happy. The tower was suffocating, more than in a literal way.

Yakko shook his head. They were free now. There was no need to keep thinking back...

Yakko gazed down to see how his youngest sibling was doing, and it seemed like the smile he had instantly dropped. Smakko’s face looked dismal, a sharp contrast to how he was just a moment ago. The light of the screen reflected off his somber eyes. Yakko placed his phone into his hammerspace and got down on the floor, sitting on his knees. Smakko didn’t react or move, so Yakko gently took hold of his brother’s phone and parted it from Smakko’s gaze. Even then, Smakko stayed the same.

“Smak? Are you okay?”

Finally, Smakko’s eyes moved. He looked up at Yakko and tried to put on a smile, obviously forced.

“Yeah, I just got too deep in my thoughts… ya know?”

Yakko furrowed his brows, still concerned. Before he could push further, however, all three of them heard a loud growl. They stopped what they were doing and exchanged glances. Wakko looked to the side.

“Oops… I guess I’m hungry,” Wakko said.

“Wak...? When was the last time you ate?” Yakko asked, his worry only increasing.

“Umm… last night?”

“Wakko…”

“I know, I just got distracted… we were having fun, and… I wasn’t thinking,” Wakko’s ears came down against his hat.

“Wakko, you know how dangerous it is for your sugar to get too low…” Yakko got up on his feet. “Let’s get you something to eat, fast.”

“Last night, I saw a vending machine outside - in the hallway,” Smakko sat up, absentmindedly gliding his fingers through his hair. “But we don’t have any cash or coins, though. Do we?”

“No, we don’t…” Yakko shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Even if we did have money, are we allowed to leave the room?” Wakko questioned, “I don’t want us to get in trouble for leaving without permission… or for getting stuff from the vending machine.”

Yakko’s chest tightened. Wakko was right, they didn’t know if they could leave or not. The machine wasn’t that far away, but he wasn’t sure what kind of reactions they would garner if they left when they weren’t supposed to. He didn’t want to upset Oswald and the others just because they couldn’t follow simple directions. But how were they supposed to get Wakko food? It was seriously bad if Wakko was this hungry.

Luckily, before he could get too worried. There was a knock on their door.

“May I come in?”

It was Oswald on the other side, Yakko recognized his voice. Was he here to tell them they could leave?

“Come in,” Yakko called.

Oswald entered. Yakko nearly cringed as he saw Oswald’s arm, still wrapped in bandages. Of course it was, but Yakko still felt horrible for what he had done to him. He promptly dragged his attention away from it and listened to the rabbit.

“Good morning! Nice to see you’re trying to get accustomed to tech already,” Oswald remarked. “I’ve got both good news and bad news. Which do ya wanna hear first?”

“Hm, how about bad first? Get it outta the way,” Yakko sat back down next to Wakko and patted a place nearby for Smakko to sit.

“Well, the bad news is that the subway train to Wasteland is down, but it’s under repair. It should be fixed in a couple of days, if not sooner.”

“Why not use the vans?” Yakko hugged Smakko from his side. The smaller Warner hesitantly gave into the act.

“I’d much rather we use the train since the land from here to Wasteland is known for being overrun with the Forgotten. Traveling underground would be much safer for all of us.”

Smakko raised a brow, “What are  _ the Forgotten? _ ”

Oswald blanked - as if he had said something he shouldn’t have. It took him a moment to respond.

“Ah, they’re…” Oswald spun his hand around, looking for a way to explain. “I’ll- I’ll explain in further detail later, but just know that they are  _ very  _ dangerous. Anything having to do with them should be taken with caution.”

Smakko nodded silently, pressing his head back into Yakko’s side. Yakko was as equally intrigued but understood that Oswald may have had other things to say that were much more important.

“What’s the good news?” Yakko diverted the topic.

Oswald let out a subtle sigh, seemingly relieved… Yakko noted.

“The good news is that we can stay here as long as we need with no problems.”

“Oh, that’s good!” Then a previously forgotten problem resurfaced in Yakko’s mind, “Ah, speaking of which… Are we allowed to leave? Wakko hasn’t eaten in a while and we need to get food from the vending machine.”

At first, Oswald seemed to think he was joking, but once he realized he wasn’t…

“O-Oh, of course, you’re allowed to leave. Heck, you can go all over Lamplight if ya want. Just don’t go past the bounds of the town, ya shouldn’t be out in the land without supervision or equipment.”

“Oh, okay,” Yakko was surprised to be given this much freedom.

He knew they were free from the tower, but he wasn’t expecting to not be told what to do and what not to do. Well, they were told to not leave the town, but after what Oswald explained it made obvious sense why… it wasn’t just because Oswald had the power to tell them no.

Before they were locked away, humans or higher-ranking Toons had authority over lower-ranking Toons. The Warners were lower-ranking and were always told what to do - whether they liked it or not. If they didn’t obey, they were punished - simple as that. That was just how it was. Oswald, being a literal  _ king _ , would undoubtedly have had power over them. Hierarchy must have changed much since then...

Oswald rubbed the back of his neck, “Actually, I think it would be better if ya went out and got a better meal than something out of the vending machine. I’m not even sure if you and Smakko have eaten since you came out of that vault… but it’s up to ya on what you should do, I’m just suggesting things. I could ask someone to assist ya as well... if ya want.”

Getting an actual meal sounded nice, and it would definitely be more filling than a bag of chips… and now that Oswald mentioned it, he did feel a bit hungry.

“Yeah, just point us in a direction and we’ll go."

Despite the air he was giving off, Yakko was actually starting to panic internally; Wakko seemed to be getting tired - which was not at all a good sign.

Oswald gave them (quite a lot) of money for eating out and then left. He said he had much work to do. The Warners got ready posthaste, but just as they were about to leave the room - Smakko tugged at Yakko’s pant leg.

“Yakko, I need to ask you something…” Smakko’s voice was small and he didn’t look directly at his brother.

“Alright, we’ll walk and talk.”

“Actually, I was hoping we could talk privately…”

Yakko looked between his two siblings, the one just beside him and the other that was already moving sluggishly down the hall.

“Make it snappy, your brother needs to eat,” Yakko didn’t mean to come off as rude, but he hated seeing Wakko like this. At any moment his condition could escalate.

“I know…”

After locking and closing the door behind them, Yakko stood outside the door with his youngest brother. He got down to his level and made sure to give off a comforting aura.

“Okay. What is it, baby bro?”

Smakko fidgeted with the material of his gloves for a moment, “I want you to cut my hair.”

“Sure,” Yakko felt a bit of relief come onto him - glad it wasn’t anything too serious.

“All of it.”

Nevermind.

“Smakko, you’ve had your hair like this for so long… Why do you want to get rid of it? I thought you loved your hair?”

“I… I don’t… like it anymore,” Smakko hugged himself. “I just want it gone.”

“Is this because of what Wakko said? I promise he didn’t-”

“It’s not because of something stupid that Wakko said,” Smakko retorted.

“Okay, okay, it’s not,” Yakko gestured for him to calm down. “But surely something is bothering you that’s making you want to do this.”

Smakko turned his head away, an almost grievous look on his face.

Yakko placed a hand on his shoulder, “Smak, please… you can tell me. If it’s something embarrassing - I won’t tell a soul… not even Wakko. But if you don’t let me help you, then I can’t help to make you feel better.”

At first, it seemed like Smakko’s demeanor didn’t change. He still looked really bothered, disproportionately sad considering the context of the matter. Then Yakko noticed that something  _ had  _ changed. Piled on top of Smakko’s gloom, Yakko saw something else.

Doubt.

“Guys…! C’mon, I’m really hungry…”

The two heard Wakko call for them down the hall. Yakko sighed, then patted Smakko’s back.

“We’ll talk about this more when we get back, ‘kay?”

He brought his little brother into a hug, but he didn’t return the gesture.

  
  
  


* * *

Once they left the motel, they ran into Bugs. Yakko had forgotten about the suggestion Oswald made about assistance and hadn’t answered the clause… but he thought since Bugs was right there, they could go with him. Plus going with Bugs would feel more natural and not feel like they were being chaperoned. If they could be as independent as Oswald said, then Yakko thought they should start taking steps to get better at taking care of themselves; having the aid of a friend would help greatly in learning their new surroundings.

Bugs brought them to a diner, it was pretty close to the motel. They sat across from each other at a table, the three Warners bunched together on one side while Bugs sat on the other. Bugs found it comical. Once seated, Yakko asked Bugs (trying to without sounding like he was going to have a heart attack) if they could get some sort of appetizer for Wakko - now. Knowing of Wakko’s condition, Bugs understood and explained to the waitress that they needed something quick. The waitress came back with a bowl of hush-puppies, which Wakko had eaten all of in the split second that they were put down. Including the bowl that they were in. Bugs said he would pay for the missing bowl. Afterward, Wakko was back to his normal self again and Yakko had calmed down considerably. They ordered their breakfast and ate, chatting amongst themselves.

“Ya know, you can wear  _ whatever  _ ya want, right?” Bugs brought up after he had another bite of egg.

“Yeah, why?” Yakko asked.

“You guys are basically wearing the exact same clothes ya wore before...?”

Yakko looked down at himself and then his siblings. He saw what Bugs meant. The only difference between their current clothes and their original ones were the colors. Yakko’s slacks were now black, Wakko’s shorts were now light green, and Smakko now wore… actually he was wearing the same shorts as before. Aside from that, everything else was exactly the same. They did try on different clothes, but they thought that wearing clothes that weren’t exactly or almost identical to their regular ones would be wrong. Yakko  _ kinda _ liked the other clothes in the drawers, but he felt like the three would be stared at if they tried wearing them. They weren’t drawn with them, so why would it be natural? Would it be right? That was what his gut was telling him anyway. Before they were locked up - if they got caught without their drawn clothes on, then their superiors would be foaming at the mouths.

“Look, kids, I can go wit’ ya t’ get new clothes if ya want to. It’s on me,” Bugs proposed.

Smakko looked up at Yakko, “Could we do that?”

“Are we  _ allowed  _ to do that?” Yakko corrected.

“Of course, no one can tell ya what ya can or can’t wear… not anymore at least,” Bugs assured.

The younger two siblings looked eager to get new clothes. Yakko felt a bit hesitant at the idea, but if this helped them to be happier and more accustomed to their new life… Then what was the problem with it? Besides, if Bugs was caught wearing a hoodie years ago, even he’d be punished harshly. So surely he wasn’t just trying to get them into trouble. If Bugs said it was okay, then it should have been. Also… one thing Yakko hadn’t considered until now, was how he had let Wakko and Smakko’s hair grow out. If they weren’t in trouble now, then they surely wouldn’t be if they got new clothes.

Yakko eased, “Alright… how about after we get done eating?”

“Sounds good t’ me, kid.”

  
  
  


* * *

After leaving the diner, Bugs explained that the store was much farther away than the diner. However, he was able to hire a taxi on his phone. At least, at first, Yakko thought it was a taxi. When the car arrived, it wasn’t the yellow vehicle that he was expecting. Instead, it was dark blue and much larger than any taxi he had ever seen. Bugs saw his confusion and hesitation. The rabbit explained that it was an  _ Uber,  _ but that it wasn’t that much different in function compared to a taxi.

The four of them got into the car; Bugs was allowed to sit in the passenger’s seat, Yakko sat on the farthest side in the back, Wakko in the middle, then Smakko in the last seat. Bugs told the driver the address and they were off.

Yakko could scarcely remember the last time he was in a car. It was one time. The day they were locked away.

The eldest Warner tried to distract himself by looking out the window, propping his head up by his cheek with the palm of his hand. It was a really pretty day, there were white and fluffy clouds in the sky and the sun was bright. He saw different Toons treading the sidewalks. Very few of them were rubberhose like the Warners. They seemed happy.

Yakko gazed away from the window, his siblings were also taking in the scenery. Wakko’s tail slapped against the seat, and his face held that smile. Yakko almost mimicked the expression, however, it softened as he gazed at Smakko. The youngest sibling still had his hair down, locks resting on his shoulders with the hair-tie around his wrist. He had his brow furrowed, clearly deep in thought - but the notions didn’t seem to be that positive. Yakko sighed.

In a few more minutes, they arrived at a large building named Orbital. At first, Yakko thought it was a mall - due to the sheer size of the place. Once they went inside, he was corrected. The entire place was purely for clothes, and there was certainly a lot to choose from. Aisles of clothing stretched across their view - as far as Yakko could see. He also saw a lot of people.. that's his heart sank. He must have been doing a poor job in hiding his anxiety; Bugs came up next to him and laid a gloved hand on his shoulder.

“If this is too much, we could look for a place less extreme.”

“Oh- no, no. I-I’ll be fine,” Yakko put a hand on top of the rabbit’s. He lowered his voice so his younger siblings couldn’t hear, “but… could you stay close - just in case?”

“Sure, I can do that,” Bugs replied, keeping his voice quiet as well.

Now Yakko was very relieved that Bugs was there with them. He realized then how Bugs always had this compelling comfort with him. When he was around, Yakko felt that he and his siblings were safe and sound. Yakko hoped he had that sort of quality with his siblings.

Together, they went about the building. Yakko’s nerves calmed as he saw his siblings’ delighted faces. Bugs’ presence also helped immensely. Wakko started trying on different clothes, coming in and out of changing stalls. Smakko applauded him and helped in getting him items that went well together. Wakko's eyes got brighter and brighter at each new piece.

"Aren't ya gonna try something on?"

Yakko blinked out of his trance. He had his hands deep in his pockets, it was a nervous habit.

"Oh, yeah… I'll go look."

The two went not far from the two siblings and started sifting through shirts. Yakko came across a rack of polo shirts.

"I was thinkin' you'd look at those," Bugs commented.

"Oh… should I look somewhere else then?"

"Nah, I meant they seem like your style."

He did really like them. Yakko sometimes got tired of button-ups and wanted something easier to put on, something more casual too. There were all sorts of designs, some he liked but others were far too eye-catching for his tastes or hurt his eyes. Then he saw one in a certain color.

Yakko turned his attention back to his siblings, "Hey, Smak?"

Currently, the youngest sibling was helping Wakko into a huge, green hoodie.

Smakko continued as he responded, "Yeah?"

"What colors go with… ah... lavender?" His voice became quiet as he said the last word.

"Beige, brown - but only warm browns, there's a huge difference."

"Alright, thanks sib."

Yakko pulled the shirt off the rack and held it up against his chest.

"Does this look like the right size?" He questioned, a bit of pink came to his face as he waited for Bugs' opinion.

"Maybe just a size smaller," Bugs unhooked a smaller version of the shirt and exchanged it with him. "I remember ya always loved lavender."

"Ah, geez… you remember that?"

There was an instance just days before their imprisonment. Yakko had made a comment in conversation that he liked the color. Some nearby Toons overheard and mocked him. It wasn't considered "manly" to like such a color. Yakko pretended to not care, but he was utterly embarrassed by it and never brought up his liking again after the ordeal. Bugs was there to shoo the Toons away and had told Yakko not to listen to them. But the oldest Warner couldn't help but repeat their words in his head, even with the rabbit's support.

Yakko was surprised to know Bugs had remembered that small detail about him.

"Of course, what kinda friend or uncle would I be if I didn't even know my nephew's favorite color?"

Yakko chuckled sheepishly.

The two then went to another nearby section to look for pants. Yakko took his brother's advice; he knew Smakko was well acquainted with designing outfits and picking good color schemes, so Yakko trusted his judgment. He got some dress pants that he and Bugs thought would fit, along with a new belt, and went into a stall. Yakko had to say, the material of the clothes was a whole lot more fitting and comfortable. However, he still felt a smidge awkward for being in different clothes. Once he was outfitted, he stiffly exited the stall. He heard Bugs whistle.

"Lookin' sharp, kid," Bugs complimented.

"Thanks…" His voice was barely audible now.

"No, really. Ya look really good in polos, they suit ya," Bugs threw a thumb behind him. "Wanna go look at some more?"

"More?"

"Yeah, it'd be weird and anticlimactic if we just got  _ one _ outfit. Let's get ya a dozen or so to start."

  
  
  


* * *

Before they knew it, a few hours had gone by.

Yakko had a good collection of polos. He even opened up a bit more and got graphic t-shirts as well. Bugs insisted he get long sleeves too, for when fall and winter came around. The Warner siblings' fur wasn't that thick or long, so warm clothes would help them abundantly.

Wakko seemed to ditch shorts (and bottom clothing in general) for oversized tops, specifically sweaters and hoodies. He also got a couple of beanies. Yakko thought he looked goofy but cute in the new clothes, they emulated his personality well. 

However, Yakko noticed that Smakko hadn't collected any clothes. At all. It seemed that the entire time, he was only helping Yakko and Wakko in finding  _ their _ outfits. As the two older siblings started to ease down, the youngest still hadn't moved from one or both of their sides to go look for himself.

"Smak, maybe you should start searching for your clothes now? I appreciate you helping us, but you should be thinking for yourself too," Yakko told him as he finished buttoning back up his original shirt inside a stall. His two siblings were waiting outside.

However, when he didn't hear a response, he grew concerned.

With new clothes in hand, Yakko departed from the stall. Next to the door, Wakko and Smakko sat on the bench by the wall. Yakko's concern only rose as he saw Smakko hunched down, hands cupped around his face, and ears flattened. Wakko had a hand on Smakko's back, in hopes of soothing the youngest Warner. Then he looked up at his older brother, he looked equally as worried as Yakko. Yakko knelt next to Smakko, placing his clothes on top of a stack they had made next to them.

Before he could ask, Wakko talked, "I dunno what happened… he just started crying out of nowhere."

As if on cue, a sharp inhale came from the smallest. Yakko's heart ached.

"Smakko, what's wrong?" Yakko came closer to him, one of his arms giving a half-hug. Smakko didn't say anything. He just continued to cry. Yakko receded and looked to Wakko, "What led up to this?"

Wakko shrugged slightly, "After you went in to change, Bugs asked us to stay here with you while he went to get a cart - so you wouldn't be alone. Next, Smakko and I started organizing our clothes… he wasn't saying anything. Then I looked at him and he was crying."

Yakko sighed. Then suddenly Smakko started to speak, his voice broken and quiet.

"I'm fine, I'm just - overreacting."

"About what?"

"I…" Smakko paused. "I just couldn't find the right colors for me."

Yakko didn't believe it for a second. There was no way this happened over  _ colors _ . Smakko was genuinely upset over something, and for whatever reason he was covering up what was truly bothering him.

They heard plastic jittering, Yakko and Wakko looked up to see that Bugs had returned with a cart in tow. The rabbit had already read the scene.

"What happened?"

"Smakko is upset and won't tell me why," Yakko stated, he sounded more irritated than he would have liked.

Smakko shoved him away, nearly making Yakko fall backward. Yakko caught himself with the edge of the bench.

Smakko glared at him, "I  _ did _ tell you what's wrong! I finally tell you something, and  _ still _ you aren't satisfied?"

"But you're obviously  _ lying _ to me. Why would you be  _ this _ upset over clothes?"

Tears started to build up again at the edges of Smakko's eyes. The younger turned away, refusing to look at Yakko.

_ "I just want to go home." _

"But Smakko, it wouldn't be fair to you," Wakko tried his best to console him. "Let us help you and we'll get you some clothes."

Smakko stayed silent.

"Maybe we should go," Bugs muttered. "We've been here for a while. Different factors may have been too much and overwhelmed him. We could go shoppin' for him some other time, when he feels better."

The two older siblings didn't like the idea entirely, but they gave in.

They gathered the clothes together and took them to the front of the store to pay for them. Yakko offered to carry Smakko, but the youngest silently refused. Which didn't surprise Yakko much, Smakko was still mad towards him. Instead, Yakko helped in carrying bags as they waited for their Uber. The sun was heading towards the horizon, and it was beginning to get dark.

Why wouldn't Smakko just  _ tell _ him?

Did he not trust Yakko?

If so, what made him think that he couldn't trust him?

Yakko's head was beginning to hurt more, making it harder to concentrate.

"Yakko? Yakko!"

His head jumped up, he turned around and saw that Bugs and Smakko were still standing at the store's entrance. The light from the inside casting long shadows in front of them.

"We need t' stay back for a couple of minutes. You guys stay there and wait for us. If the Uber comes, ask 'em t' wait. They should be drivin' a red car."

"Oh, 'kay," Yakko replied.

_ Why would they need to stay back? Didn't they just get done saying they were done buying clothes? Unless it's completely unrelated… but why would Smakko need to stay with Bugs? _

Yakko was beginning to get fed up with it all. He just kept telling himself that it was probably none of his business… but at the same time, his sibs  _ were  _ his business - his  _ life _ . He hated not knowing what they were possibly talking about. It could have been nothing, could have been crucial. He didn't know. He didn't know what was going on with his youngest brother.

Soon the Uber arrived. Yakko tapped on their window, once the window rolled down he informed them that they were waiting for two more people. The driver understood. It seemed like just moments later when the two missing persons emerged from the store.

Yakko noticed the new look on Smakko's face.

He looked strangely passive. No longer looking upset, just fine. It left an odd impression on Yakko as they climbed into the car.

Once they were dropped off near the motel, Yakko waited a bit into their walk to bring Smakko aside.

"Smak?" He finally said after an uncomfortable silence. The other two had yet to notice them stopping.

"Yeah?" A small and innocent smile came to the shorter one's face.

"We can get your hair cut when we get to our room. A new look before you go to bed. How does that sound?"

Smakko seemed surprised, like he had forgotten. Then he said, "Oh? Oh. No, Yakko… I changed my mind. Thank you for remembering, though."

Yakko felt the little energy he had left in his body drip onto the pavement.

"Wait - so… you  _ don't  _ want your hair cut? Not one bit?"

"No," Smakko repeated. "Also… I'm really sorry I yelled at you. I was just upset, ya know? But… I'm okay now. So, you don't have to worry about me."

Smakko didn't wait for a response, he turned and sprinted - catching up with Bugs and Wakko. He started talking with them, looking cheerful. A pep was in his step that Yakko had -  _ never  _ \- seen before.

Yakko was tired.

  
  


When they got home, his goodbye to Bugs was nearly unheard. He collapsed onto his bed, hearing his siblings talk - about something or other. It was a blur. He fell into a deep sleep.

  
  


The eldest Warner hadn't noticed the extra bag that sat amongst the others.


	4. The Cat Comes Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yakko goes scavenging with June. Wakko sees something at the wrong time.

**_4 hours remaining_ **

_ "Julius came before Oswald? I didn't even know there was someone before Oswald." _

_ Max Goof stood next to his dad in their living room. Or rather, "their" living room. Oddly enough, Oswald had reserved a house for them in Toon Town. Goofy acted appreciatively (really he acted like everything was just fine), but Max couldn't help but feel that it was eerie. Did Oswald honestly think that they would eventually leave Disney to live there with him? Or that they would end up there someday, even if it wasn't on their own terms? After getting relatively perturbed by it, Max decided he would try not to think about it too much. Though, it was hard not to. Following what happened at the castle, the rabbit and the others were all he could think about. The main reason they were even there was to see Oswald - but what he wasn't expecting was to see another rubberhose cat other than Ortensia with him. _

_ "Me too, for a while," Goofy replied. He leaned into the recliner he sat in. It was actually more comfortable than the one they had back home. "He kind of 'reappeared' one day, as Mick put it. Oswald suggested he could live with him, then the rest is history." _

_ "But don't you think it's odd that Julius isn't mad at Oswald?" _

_ Goofy cocked up a brow. Before he could reply, he leaned back too far into his chair and nearly fell. Max caught him just in time to save him from hitting the floor. He then pushed the back of the recliner up as his dad talked. _

_ "Whaddya mean? Why would he be?" _

_ "Well… you know… Oswald replaced him. Just like how Uncle Mickey replaced Oswald. At least Oswald got a revival, but Julius hasn't gotten anything - from what I know. Julius is much more irrelevant than him too." _

_ Goofy thought for a moment, "Maybe they res… r… what's that word?" _

_ "Resonate?" _

_ "Yeah, hyuck! Maybe they resonate with one another. They’ve had a pretty similar past. Oswald probably saw that and wanted Julius to feel accepted and loved." _

_ "Makes sense, but that still doesn't say what Julius felt…" _

_ Max then noticed how Goofy had begun to get uncomfortable. He frowned. Maybe Max was wrong about how Goofy was about the whole situation. Talking about a problem that really should have stayed between Julius, Oswald, and Mickey was awkward. Especially since it involved the idea of being forgotten or irrelevant. Being either of those would be the fear of any Toon. It was a taboo topic. There was no wonder why Oswald had become so upset, why his and Mickey's relationship was so unstable. _

_ Seeing this, Max decided it was time to change the conversation - but his dad beat him to it. _

_ "But… enough about that. How's my son doin'? Have ya found a mate?" _

_ "Dad. Don't say mate. It sounds weird." _

_ "Well, have ya?" _

_ The only partner he ever had was Roxanne. It made sense, at first. Max was written to fall in love with her, much like Oswald and Ortensia or Mickey and Minnie. However, years after their movies and shows… Max could feel as their spark continued to fade and fade. Roxanne felt it too, he knew that was so - she was the one who broke up with him. At first, Max was sad. It was a normal react from a breakup… but at the same time, he felt nothing from it. He missed the kisses, hugs, snuggling, flirting, etcetera… but he didn't miss Roxanne. He didn't miss doing those things with her, but he felt an emptiness in him that he hadn't been able to fill in a long time. _

_ For a while, Max thought he was gay. However, after a while of more self-reflection… he knew he wasn't. He still found girls attractive, but guys too. He was bi. After feeling confident (or as confident as he could ever be) in this fact, he came out to his dad. Goofy was super supportive and basically threw a gay party for him, the guests being his friends... and some random people he glanced at from his school days. That, of course, was embarrassing - but he appreciated his dad's thought behind it all. Roxanne was at the party, which wasn't all too bad. They were still friends with no hard feelings. _

_ Ever since then, Goofy would ask every once in a while if Max was in a relationship. He'd ask if he had a new boyfriend, girlfriend, or joyfriend. Max was surprised he knew the last term, but when he asked where he learned it - it seemed he had forgotten. Anyway, Max knew his dad wasn't nosy enough to go beyond just asking, so it wasn't too grating. The more times Max answered with 'no,' the less his dad asked. Eventually, years passed and nothing changed. _

_ Max wanted to be with someone he actually loved. He didn't want to be in and out of relationships all the time like many other Toons his age. Despite it sucking a little to be single for so long, he kinda enjoyed being a lone bird - er - dog. It was nice for it just to be his dad, his friends, and other Disney family. Besides, it seemed like every new Disney Toon he met just wasn't his type - at all. Really, all they made him want to do was cry. He guessed that's what you were supposed to expect from a Disney Toon. _

_ Max soon came to the conclusion that he wanted someone that could make him laugh. Someone he smiled at every time he saw them, because he couldn’t help it. However, he had no luck in finding someone like that. He didn’t know if he was being too picky or he really hadn’t found who he was looking for yet. _

_ After a while of Max not responding, Goofy slumped slightly in the recliner. _

_ "Sorry, Maxie. I know ya must be gettin’ annoyed by me askin' that… I'll stop." _

_ Max blinked out of his thoughts, "No dad, it's fine, really." _

_ Something started to buzz - somewhere. Max realized it was coming from his hammerspace. He pulled out his phone, a familiar name shined from the screen. _

_ “It’s PJ, I promised I’d talk to him this evening. He’s been super nervous about what’s been happening lately,” Max told his dad. _

_ “Alright,” he still carried a solemn expression. “Ya want me to order a pizza for dinner?” _

_ “Sure. Sounds awesome, dad.” _

_ As Max went up the stairs to his room, he answered his phone before he missed the call. However, before he could even say a word he had to yank the phone away from his head - his friend’s screaming blasted his ear. _

_ “DUDE, YOU WON’T BELIEVE THE CALL WE JUST GOT-” _

  
  
  
  


* * *

Yakko’s eyes opened, apparently because they could and his restless mind hated him.

He slipped his hand into his hammerspace and retrieved his phone. His eyes squinted to look at the bright screen.

2:25 AM.

If his siblings weren’t sleeping soundly beside him, he would have let out a long and exaggerated groan. Instead, he gave a mean glare at the numbers and put the device back into his hammerspace. He sat upon his bed and scooted to the edge. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep, Yakko started to think of something he could do before his siblings woke up. A walk sounded nice and relaxing. It was early enough so people wouldn’t be gathering outside, plus the scenery of the night sky could be very calming. Settling on the notion, he stood.

Yakko debated on wearing one of his new outfits. However, he didn’t want to accidentally wake up either of his siblings by rummaging around - so he decided against it. He was already wearing his default clothes since he fell asleep in them without changing, so he guessed he was fine. The Warner had his room key with him, he knew after checking four more times to ensure he didn’t somehow forget it. He entered the hallway and locked the door behind him. When he turned back around, he nearly shrieked.

A hand clasped over his mouth as the person in front of him spoke in a hushed voice.

“Shh- it’s just me. June.”

Yakko let his body ease and June removed his hand from his mouth.

“What are you doing outside our room?”

Yakko was beginning to think this was weird. He understood for the first night, but surely Oswald trusted them enough to not have his son stalking them onward.

“I was going to go in and talk to you, actually.”

_ Really? At 2 in the morning? _

“About what?”

“If you wanted to go scavenging with me.”

Yakko crossed his arms, but it turned into him hugging himself, “I thought Oswald said it was too dangerous to go out into the wilderness?”

“Yes, but in front of you is an expert scavenger. I’ve been doing it since I was a boy,” June said rather proudly.

“You were out there by yourself?” Yakko tried to sound snarky but he couldn’t help but feel concerned by that statement.

“Oh, no- I always went with my dad,” June clarified. “But that’s beside the point… I know you may be experiencing some trouble getting on your feet. Scavenging can help with a multitude of things, but one I thought of for you is self-providing.”

June paused, Yakko assumed he wanted confirmation to continue.

“Go on?”

The rabbit smiled, “So… it can be a hands-on experience! Plus, as I said, I’ve done this hundreds of times - so you have nothing to worry about. You’re in good hands.”

Yakko glanced away. Oswald had seemed serious about not going out into the land. At the same time, though, June didn’t appear to be the reckless type. If he was, he most likely wouldn’t have been standing in front of him. Maybe this could be good for Yakko? He and June could bring back some useful things and help the town… Yakko could maybe feel less of a parasite leeching off them. Since they were letting them all stay there, he should give back to them.

However, there was one problem that itched in his mind.

Yakko shoved his hands into his pockets, “What about my siblings? I can’t just leave them here by themselves…”

June raised a brow at him, “I don’t mean to be brash, but.. were you not about to do just that anyway?”

That…  _ was  _ technically true, but going out for a walk was much different than going outside the town to who knows where. Yakko knew he was right though, he had the intention of leaving his siblings behind. Maybe Yakko had made such a miscalculation because he had just woken up - or maybe he needed a break. He was emotionally exhausted, especially after the previous day… but when wasn’t he?

Seeing as Yakko became more and more uncomfortable, June seemed to take this as a chance to say something else.

“Your siblings will be fine. Lamplight is a safe place and the people are friendly. Plus who’s to say that your siblings can’t take care of themselves?”

Yakko wanted to say something in retaliation. He wanted to say that his siblings needed him, that he was their oldest brother and that they had always relied on him. But his mouth couldn’t form the words to say it and he stood there, feeling like an idiot. He couldn’t say those things because they simply weren’t true. It was  _ Yakko  _ that needed to be calmed down, it was  _ Yakko  _ that needed someone by him at all times, it was  _ Yakko  _ who was wrong. Bugs had not seen them in decades, yet he took care of Yakko’s siblings better than he did.

  
  


Yakko’s throat tightened, but he managed to speak, “I’ll write them a note before we leave.”

June nodded in agreement as Yakko went back inside. The eldest Warner attempted to find a piece of paper in the room as quietly as he could. The best he could get was the receipt from Orbital. He went to the dresser, flipped the paper onto the blank side and… now he had to find something to write with. Yakko then remembered Wakko’s crayons. They had taken them with them from the water tower. Now he just had to hope Wakko had placed them somewhere in the room. He hated the thought of reaching into his brother’s hammerspace, plus if he tried it would risk waking him up.

Now, if he was the silly middle sibling, where would he put his crayons?

Yakko crept around the room, but he didn’t see the box anywhere - at least in plain sight. If Wakko hadn’t left them out, then he must have hidden them somewhere. Yakko’s eyes next met with the bottom of Wakko’s bed, where the covers met the floor. Eureka. He carefully knelt beside the bed, then took hold of the edge of the blanket and lifted. Sure enough, he spotted the box underneath. Yakko grabbed it and returned to the dresser. He pulled out a black crayon and started to write.

_ Hey, sibs. I’ll be out for a while. _

He stared at the words and paper.

Should he tell them why? Maybe he should just leave it at that. It would probably be less worrying to tell them what he was actually doing.

It took him a moment to see that he had already begun to add more to the message.

_ Call Bugs using the number he gave you yesterday. He should keep you guys company until I get back - if he’s able to come. If not, please don’t leave the room unless necessary. _

_ I love you, _

_ Yakko _

He thought for a moment, then wrote one last line.

_ PS- Be nice to each other, and make sure Wakko eats like he’s supposed to. Please. _

Yakko then put the crayon in its slot. He tip-toed over to Wakko’s bed again and slipped the box back into its place. At last, he approached the door to exit… but he took one last glance at his siblings before leaving.

  
  


* * *

"You said we'd be fine without protective equipment?"

"Yeah, it's only necessary to wear gear if we were somewhere like - say - Burbank."

What June  _ had _ given Yakko was a radar to wear on his wrist, a pocket knife, flashlight, and a backpack for collecting supplies. June told him if he "ran into trouble" he could use his mallet, the pocket knife was only to be used as a tool. Now they walked along a vitiated road; at times there were fractures and large portions of pavement that had been upraised from the ground. They tread carefully, Yakko had his eyes mostly glued to the road as June surveyed their other surroundings. For a while they kept silent, but Yakko became unnerved by it and thus began to speak again.

“You said you would come over to teach us how to use our phones… did something come up?”

As he asked, they came upon an elevation that took up the entirety of the road. They began to make their way around it.

“Oh, yeah... sorry about that,” June apologized. “Something  _ did  _ in fact come up. However, I heard you spent most of the day with Mr. Bunny - so I hope it wasn’t too bad?”

“No, I guess not… but we did get a bit of practice in. Uncle Bugs even gave us his number,” Yakko then thought of something as they reached the other side. “Speaking of which, I should ask if he’s at the motel.”

“We’re ways out here, you probably won’t get a connection.”

“Ahh, really?” Yakko saw he was correct as he learned his phone had no bars. He sighed, “Hopefully my sibs contacted him already or something.”

The Warner put his phone back into his hammerspace.

“You called Mr. Bunny by ‘Uncle Bugs,’ are you related?” June asked.

“Ah, no. We sort of started calling him that as a joke back in the day, but after a while it became genuine and it stuck.”

“I see. I noticed right away how close you were with him.”

“Yeah, he’s great…” Yakko smiled.

Yakko noticed that the road seemed much clearer ahead, so he took it as a chance to help June with keeping watch of the land. They hadn’t seen anything off, at least not yet. Though that changed soon enough.

Not much later, Yakko came across a disheveled cabin on the side of the road. He stopped, and June did soon after once he noticed. The roof of the cabin was caved in and the wood was rotting. Large claw marks had been dug into the walls, deep and rigid. They didn’t seem to be fresh.

The two travelers decided to search the building, in case it had any useful items or someone in need of help. As June went farther inside, Yakko stayed at the entrance. The Warner felt intimidated by the place, it felt unnerving, like the place was haunted. They shouldn’t have been there. June spoke suddenly, taking Yakko out of his perturbed state. The rabbit recommended he stay nearby just in case there was something dangerous that they weren’t yet aware of. At that, Yakko bound into the building.

At further inspection by the two, there didn’t seem to be anyone or anything in the building. There seemed to be spots and sprays of ink littered about the walls and floor of the main room. As June searched the room, Yakko opened a door to another. It was a small bathroom. There was a tub on the left, something black was smeared all over on the inside - he assumed it was ink. In the middle of the floor were shards of glass, a small mirror faced up with a few pieces still intact inside the frame. Then on the right side was a sink. Ink was also smeared on it, but Yakko noticed the form of Toon handprints in the stains. The room had a distinct smell of some sort of chemical; just standing at the doorway had made him feel nauseous. What he was seeing didn’t help.

“Anything worth noting?” June asked from behind him.

Yakko backed away from the doorway and turned towards him, “Ink is on everything, and there’s this smell…”

“Did it make you feel sick?”

“Yeah…”

“There must be thinner somewhere in there. I’d close the door and not go in.”

Yakko shut the door, and June gestured for him to come near. He walked over to where the rabbit stood, by the bed. June clutched the upper edge of the blanket. His face was grim.

“There’s something here that I think confirms what happened in this cabin,” June stated, looking Yakko in the eye. “I’m going to show you, but only if you don’t think you’ll freak out.”

That alone made Yakko’s shoulders tense up, but he nodded for June to go ahead. June then pulled down the blanket.

Yakko felt as though he’d pass out.

Ink. Much more than he had seen previously. The bedsheets of the bed - it was drenched in black.

June let go of the fabric, “The claw marks were a great sign, but there was also the smell of thinner and ink covering everything. The victim must have been in bed when they were attacked. No corpse, but that’s to be expected by a Forgotten.”

When he saw Yakko’s anxious gaze, his expression softened.

His voice came to again, “I’m just telling and showing you this so you know the telltale signs of a Forgotten. I promise if we run into one, I'll keep you safe… but if there comes a time when I'm not around, or you're alone… then I want you to be aware of your surroundings and what's to come."

Yakko nodded, squeezing the straps of his backpack. He tried to carry a strong face, but he still felt scared.

They continued on their journey down the road. Yakko still felt anxious, and the lack of talking made it worse. He brought his attention back to June. His mouth opened awkwardly for a moment until he was finally able to say his inquiry.

“How come you have blue fur?” The words spilled out of his mouth, he wasn't completely sure what to ask but he needed some sort of conversation starter.

“Oh?” June seemed surprised by the question, “Oh, I don’t actually have blue fur. I dyed it.”

“Is there a specific reason why or do you just like it?”

“Well, yes and no. The main reason I had my fur dyed is that as I grew older, people started getting me and my father mixed up. So, I had my fur turned blue. Also, I do like the color. Honestly, I probably would have dyed it even if there wasn’t a problem.”

“Oh, makes sense,” Yakko played with the straps of his backpack. “At first I thought your mom may have had blue fur or something.”

There was a moment of silence as they continued to walk.

“No… she didn’t.”

Yakko’s steps stuttered as he heard the change in the tone of his voice. He saw that June’s features had become grave. The rabbit almost looked angered. Yakko’s shoulders tensed as he feared he said something off.

He turned his head away and put his hands deep into his pockets.

  
  


After an uncomfortable period of noiselessness, Yakko glanced at the road in front of them. In the far distance, he could see a cluster of structures.

It was a town - or at least what remained of one.

He was about to announce the find, but Yakko caught a glance of June’s still negative expression. It wasn’t as bad as before, but it still made Yakko regret not keeping his mouth shut when it should have been. However, it did seem that June had noticed the town.

“That’s the place I’ve had my eyes set on for a while,” June said, his aura still darkened. “It should have plenty of supplies to choose from.”

Yakko took a deep breath through his nose, “Okay.”

They fell into silence again.

  
  
  


* * *

Bugs flung the quarter into the slot, then pressed the designated button.

After a few mechanical sounds emitting from the machine, a bag of miniature cookies fell. The rabbit then reached in and grabbed them, and gave them to second-to-oldest Warner sibling. Wakko wore his new white beanie and Maya blue hoodie. He sat on the floor near the vending machine and happily opened the bag. A sweet, chocolatey aroma filled his nostrils.

“Where do you think Yakko went?” He asked as he popped one of the sweets into his mouth.

Bugs leaned against the vending machine, “I dunno, I hope he isn’t gettin’ int’ any trouble.”

“He’s Yakko though, he wouldn’t be getting into trouble… at least not without us to be in it with him.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Bugs stated, albeit with a jot of uncertainty. “It’s still strange that he suddenly went out wit’out sayin’ where he had gone, so early in the mornin’ no less.”

Bugs had asked a couple of people in town if they had seen Yakko. If he was still in town, like he should have been, then surely  _ someone _ saw him. He even told them what he was wearing, since he had learned that none of the new clothes were missing. However, with each additional person he asked, his worry only increased. He would have tried asking Oswald as well, but he had no clue where he was either. Although, he knew that Your Majesty was probably really busy and wouldn’t have known where Yakko was. Bugs just wished Yakko kept his word and that he would be back soon. Surely Yakko wouldn’t just up and run without his siblings. Still, after being given evidence that he may have not been too healthy mentally and emotionally, the notion may have not been too far away from being a possibility. The kid  _ was  _ forced to live indefinitely in a water tower and to take care of his siblings when he should have been getting parental care of his own.

Bugs thought back for a moment, realizing that such behavior may have not been too out of character for the teenage Toon… even before the three siblings were locked away. He remembered seeing the eldest Warner outside late at night when the rabbit was on set. He’d see Yakko on the roof of a building, laying down with his gaze towards the sky. It was always just him, never with one or both of his siblings. The first time he saw him, Bugs called to him from below. Yakko had then propped himself up with his elbow and looked down at him.

_ “What’re ya doin’ all the way up there? All the alien lookin’ folk are down ‘ere!” _

Yakko had then given him a face that made it seem like Bugs had grown an extra head. If he had thought that, then it would have fit the joke. Bugs wasn’t entirely sure if he had though.

_ “I’m just star gazing, helps me think.” _

After that, Yakko had returned to the position he was in before. Bugs thought the interaction was odd, especially since Yakko had only spoken  _ one  _ sentence. He was expecting the kid to go on a spiel about planets, solar systems, nebulas… maybe even go into a song about it. But all he gave was a simple, short answer.

Bugs often wondered if Yakko had always put up an act. Sure, people knew him as this talkative and self-reliant kid - the one that they saw in the black and white cartoons. Besides, he acted exactly as he did in person as he did on screen. However, if you were close enough with Yakko - you knew better. If you were like Bugs, you would have been able to see right through his facade.

Wakko finished his cookies. He crumpled up the bag and tossed it across the hall and into the trashcan. Then he out a small, victorious “yes” as the ball went in.

“Is that enough snacks for now?” Bugs asked.

“Yeah,” Wakko got onto his feet.

“Later we could maybe order somethin’, sound good?”

“Sounds faboo! Could I pick who we call?”

“Depends if your - sibling doesn’t mind.”

Bugs stumbled over his words. He knew Wakko noticed but hoped he’d thought nothing of it.

The rabbit was about to walk with him back towards the room, but his phone started to vibrate in his hammerspace. He took it out and saw it was Lola.

Shoot, he hadn’t notified them that they were stuck in Lamplight for a while. Everyone back home must have been worried sick. Well, maybe not Daffy, but definitely Lola and a few others.

“Hey, Wak, I’ve gotta take this. You go ahead and hang out.”

“Will do,” Wakko walked off on his own.

…

Wakko entered the room and quietly shut the door behind him. He immediately noticed that Smakko was nowhere in sight. It was really fishy, and Wakko knew exactly what was happening. First, he tip-toed to Yakko’s bed - then whipped up the blanket covering the underside. There was nothing underneath. He repeated the process to his own bed, then Smakko’s bed. The middle-sibling became puzzled as he continued to find nothing.

That was when he started to hear a low sound. Soft and soothing. Humming. Wakko turned to the restroom. A sneer stretched across his face. He got down on all fours and crept to the door. Before he opened it, however, he pressed one of his floppy ears against the wood. A brow came down as he heard the faint sound of metallic clinking. He wasn’t sure what it was but it sounded familiar. What he knew not to look for was the sound of giggling, which was something that  _ Wakko  _ was known to do; he was really bad at stifling his when he was the one hiding. Smakko was really good at it, he always had a big dumb smirk across his face that Wakko hated… mostly due to the fact that he only saw it when he lost. But  _ this  _ time, his little brother was going to be the one getting caught. Well, if Smakko was humming then it was likely he wasn’t actually hiding… but Wakko still wanted to give him a good scare. He would win at something for once.

Wakko wrapped his hand around the knob and carefully turned it. He slowly started to open the door, opening just enough so he could peer in without causing the door to creak. If it made even a slight sound it would instantly blow his cover. Finally, he scooted closer to the door so he could more easily see inside. He was intending on planning his strategy of scaring his brother… perhaps to sneak behind him and pounce him, or flattening him with a mallet. Yakko always said he opposed the act of hitting another sibling with a mallet, but Wakko could see him holding back laughter under his hand every time.

Wakko was about to begin but everything stopped when he realized what was happening inside. It felt as though the world had slowed down, all except for what was happening in front of him.

Smakko was dressed in girl’s clothing. A bright pink dress. He stood on a booster stool and looked into the mirror. In his hand was a pair of scissors, snipping away at the fur on his head. On the counter was a magazine, opened to a page of various hairstyles. Smakko looked completely different…

But he looked happy? 

Wakko was baffled, but all the memories he had with Smakko had all come together. Bit by bit he was beginning to connect the dots.

Then it hit him.

“Oh!” He uttered without thinking, the wave of realization he felt had scrambled his train of thought.

When he processed what he had done, he clasped a hand over his mouth - but it was too late.

Smakko heard him. The youngest sibling jumped. Then Smakko’s eyes glanced off in the mirror. He saw the reflection of his older brother peeking through the door. His movements froze. It seemed like he had stopped breathing. An apparent sense of fear came to his being. The feeling stayed in him as he yelled for Wakko to leave. Wakko sprang to his feet, startled by the sound - he tried to explain himself but a hand pushed him back into the bedroom. The middle sibling stumbled back. The door in front of him was shut and locked.

Wakko’s heart was beating fast. He was stuck in place and his hands shook. He knew the meaning behind what had happened but he was failing to fully process it. It felt like it wasn’t real - like he was dreaming… or this was happening to someone else.

His body somehow was able to move when the door leading to the hallway swung open. It was Bugs - with an alarmed expression, active phone still in hand with someone on the other end calling for his name.

They stared at each other - understanding what the other knew without words.

The soft crying that came from the other side of the bathroom door affirmed their beliefs.

  
  
  


* * *

After a few hours, Yakko and June made it to the town.

It seemed deserted and starved of life, but June still insisted that they stay cautious. Yakko scanned the area; the buildings on the street seemed mostly made up of food stores. He saw a butcher shop, a bakery… but he assumed that the food would undoubtedly be inedible - if any even survived. Then he caught sight of a general store, which was - surprisingly - mostly unscathed.

"June?"

"Yeah?"

"How about this one? There could be all sorts of things in there."

June smiled at him, "Correct, good find."

They first checked the inside of the store from the windows. It seemed clear at first glance, so they crept into the building - carefully opening the creaky entrance and stepping over the broken glass that had once been in the door. Inside, it was pretty dark, the light from outside only reached so far. Yakko remembered the flashlight he was given and took it out of his hammerspace. He turned it on and shined it in front of him.

"You check the backside of the store, I'll check the front. Look for portable energy sources, any chemicals, and paint would be a huge plus. Is that good?" June spoke in a quiet voice.

"Sounds good."

"If  _ something _ happens, you scream and I'll come to your rescue."

Yakko hesitated before nodding. He then made his way towards the farther end of the store. The shelves were more full than he would have expected. Though it only made sense, the place was abandoned when people were once active. Everything was in the exact same place as they were years ago.

The young Toon found a stand of batteries. He unzipped his backpack and put the ten remaining packets inside. After a few more minutes of searching, he couldn't find anything else of use. He leaned his head out from the aisle he was in to see June. The rabbit still seemed busy. Yakko stood up again. He roamed the floor he had already covered, seeing if he missed anything. Yet he still found nothing new.

He sighed, disappointed that he was unable to find more varied supplies.

Yakko's eyes wandered more around the store. His gaze came to a halt as he came to the counter and register. However, his attention was brought by what stood behind them.

A door, labeled for employees only.

Yakko felt his ears spring up.

It must have led to the backroom… boxes of unshelved supplies. No telling what exactly could have been back there, but surely something of good use.

Yakko walked over and hopped the gate between the rest of the store and the area behind the counter. He twisted the knob of the door, which was luckily unlocked. The door opened with a groan. Yakko shined his light inside. As he had hoped, boxes stacked upon each other against the walls - pretty close to the ceiling. The room was quite small, more of a large closet than a storage room. Though it did serve its purpose, plus it was a win for Yakko and Lamplight.

The Warner stepped inside. He started with one of the top boxes, he reached with only his toes touching the ground. He brought a box down to the floor for easier access. Yakko put the end of his flashlight in between his teeth as he reached for the knife in his hammerspace. Once he got it he flicked it out then cut the tape holding the box closed. He placed the knife on the floor and opened the cardboard flaps of the box. To his disappointment, it was full of chip bags.

"Hrrgh," he quietly growled through his parted teeth.

The Toon even checked the dates marked on the bags - as expected they were very out of date. He wouldn't have minded bringing some food home for Wakko, but he would rather not be giving his sibling stale chips.

Yakko unceremoniously dropped the bag back into the box and pushed it away. He stood back up to get another box from the stack…

But suddenly his vision went darker.

His flashlight went out.

He removed it from his mouth and hit the head. It flickered but didn't say on. He hit it a few more times but now it didn't flare at all. Yakko hated the idea of using the batteries he had  _ just  _ gotten, but he guessed if his flashlight was dead then he didn't have much of a choice. He just prayed it was only dead and not broken. Yakko swung his backpack over his shoulder and was about to open it - but something else happened.

The door to the room slammed shut. Completely shrouding him in darkness.

Yakko felt his heart stop. He dropped everything and began to twist the knob of the door. It only went so far until it resisted. The door was... locked. The door was locked.  _ The door was locked. _

He had begun desperately jolting the door back and forth, but it wouldn't budge. Yakko began to scream for help.

"June! JUNE!" His voice was peaking in panic, "Help! The door locked me in!"

He heard no response. Surely June could hear him. The store was only so big. He had to hear him. He  _ had  _ to.

Still, no one came.

Yakko backed away, then rammed into the door with his shoulder as hard as he could. The door still didn't move an inch. Yakko could feel air quickly leaving his lungs, he choked. He sank to the floor and cried.

_ "June, please…" _

The Toon hugged his legs against his chest. His body trembled. The closet was cold and dead quiet. Suffocating.

  
  


But then heard something.

Laughter.

It was faint and muffled. It must have been June.

Was… was June pulling a prank on him…?

Any other time he would have been laughing along with someone, but this had truly scared him. June knew better than to lock him in a dark room alone. Didn't he? Didn't he know he was  _ terrified  _ of this?

Before his fear could turn into anger, he heard the laughter again.

But… it was different this time.

It didn't sound like June.

It didn't sound like a Toon.

It didn't even sound human.

Yakko was stricken with fright again. The demented chuckling circled around him - far away, then right up at his ear. He wanted to cover his ears, but his arms refused to move. He just whimpered as more tears bridged his eyes. He couldn’t tell if what was happening to him was real. He didn’t know if he was hallucinating. The laughing became lower and lower in tone until it was a mere drone in the air. Then it was silent once again.

Yakko could only hear his own breathing, short breaths forcing in and out of him.

  
  


Then he couldn’t breathe.

Something had seized his chest and was crushing him. He felt himself be lifted from the ground. His body was mercilessly hurled back first against the door, a terrified and pained yelp escaped him. Yakko wanted to cry out for help - for somebody, anybody to help him - but he couldn’t. It felt like his ribs were going to snap from the pressure. He was pinned against the door. The sleeve of his right arm had been pulled up.

Dozens of sharp, dagger-like teeth pierced the flesh of his upper arm. Yakko didn’t know how but he was able to scream.

The agonizing pain - it  _ burned _ . It was as if he had been set on fire and his muscle tissue was being scorched.

His body was carelessly dropped to the floor. Yakko was unable to move freely, his form trembled from the shock. He laid there helplessly as stabbing pain started to course throughout his anatomy. A tormented noise came from his throat.

After what seemed like forever of torture wracking him - he was just able to push himself up with his uninjured limb. Everything ached. Where had been bitten was throbbing and he could feel ink oozing from the wound and down his arm. Right when his head raised from the floor, a strange and abnormal light illuminated the room. Only faintly - an evident dark border still encased the space. Yakko could see his shadow below him - it wavered then began to extend in front of him. He watched it as it stretched and morphed, no longer presenting himself. Soon the shadow was so tall that it towered above him on the boxes, wall, and ceiling. Yakko recognized the shape of the creature before him.

It was the monster from his nightmare.

The figure began to disconnect itself from the wall, no longer a shadow but a physical being. Lack of light became scraggly, pitch-black fur. It completely separated from the wall. It was seven feet tall, large and pointed ears came from its head. Its body was terribly emaciated, fur and skin encased its ribcage and spine, and the pelvic bone was discernable. Its limbs were lanky, fingers long and bony with sharp claws at the ends. A long and twisted feline tail came from behind it, completely static. Two large, unblinking eyes stared down at Yakko. The pupils inside them were indefinite, fading in and out of their vacant orbs. Underneath the eyes was a tiny cat nose, just visible against the equally as inky fur around it. Contraire in size, below it was its mouth; it was upturned into a permanent, unsettling smile. Inside were uneven teeth, terribly stained by ink. Long fangs protruded from its maw, dripping green and black liquids… thinner and ink - Yakko's ink.

Yakko was frozen in place. Their eyes interlocked in an understanding of dominance. Yakko would die if he tried to fight back. A sense of urgency filled his veins with adrenaline that he couldn't expel. All he could do was sit and be obedient.

The teeth of the creature parted.

It spoke to him.

**"I have been keeping a close eye on you, Yakko. You are just the pawn I need in my wonderful little plan."**

The voice shook Yakko to his core, the sound was indescribable, otherworldly. It was like the creature was not speaking to him but through him. Foreign energy inside him manifested as words entered. He could do nothing but continue to listen.

**"What I have just given you is a gift. It will be your essential tool in completing your task. A task you** **_will_ ** **perform. If not, then I'm afraid you will never see your darling siblings again."**

Yakko let out a whimper and he shuddered.

**"You will have nothing to fear if you simply do as I ask. You must find a cat Toon named Felix. Kill him. Do this and your siblings will be spared, and you will have the choice to keep or disregard the gift I have bestowed upon you. You have a deadline for your task, however; your time will run out when a dancing demon finds his sheepish wolf in the arms of an angel. If this happens, then your siblings will perish and you will forever be a** **_Forgotten._ ** **"**

The creature's pupils abruptly expanded, nearly filling its eyes with black.

**"Do my task as I have asked, for I am the Cartoon Cat."**

The thing unhinged its jaw and let out an unearthly scream.

  
  


Yakko's vision was veiled in darkness and the room had become deathly quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cartoon Cat is a concept created by Trevor Henderson.

**Author's Note:**

> I promise later chapters will be a bit more cheery. They're just having a rough time right now.
> 
> I couldn't possibly just give them constant anguish without s o m e fluff... says the one who is writing an angsty Animaniacs fanfic.


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